


Five's Company, Two is Isolation

by 0roro_Munr0e



Series: Misery Loves Company [2]
Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alternate Universe, Angst, BDSM, Cheating, Drug Use, Explicit Sexual Content, Genesis's lack of verbal filter, M/M, Minor Violence, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Polyamory, Romance, Trauma, they still don't know what they are doing, y'all have to see my writing mistakes once again until I get a beta
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-14
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:48:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 46,525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24711859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/0roro_Munr0e/pseuds/0roro_Munr0e
Summary: Angeal, Genesis, Sephiroth, Zack, and Cloud are now living together in a high-rise condo of Midgar. Their polyamorous relationship evolved over the past few months after Sephiroth's ex tried to force them apart. Because of that, Cloud's life changed dramatically after his near-death experience, followed by his sudden marriage to Sephiroth. Although the other three were not fond of the marriage, Sephiroth insisted that nothing will change among them. However, there's a noticeable blossoming romance between Sephiroth and Cloud, which caused another strain in the fivesome. On top of that, they fall down the kinky rabbit hole, but Cloud's memory of his negative experience with it resurfaces, forcing Genesis to unleash unwanted emotions he kept hidden for so long. (Sequel to Love Twice)
Relationships: Angeal Hewley/Genesis Rhapsodos/Cloud Strife, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Zack Fair/Angeal Hewley/Genesis Rhapsodos/Sephiroth/Cloud Strife, Zack Fair/Sephiroth/Cloud Strife
Series: Misery Loves Company [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1786624
Comments: 82
Kudos: 117





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> (Love Twice 2: Gackt's Return)  
> This will be a dark sequel because I feel like I held back in the first fic. I will try my best to tag appropriately, or to include heavy warnings in appropriate chapters like before. Again, I hope to cover what I couldn't write in Love Twice. Hope you enjoy.

“And that is the last box to unpack!” Zack exclaimed as he flattened the last cardboard box and tossed it in the pile next to the door.

Cloud rushed over to him for a bear hug, smiling as strong arms wrapped around his waist. He always felt tiny in Zack’s— or Angeal’s— beefy arms, but at the same time, he still hoped he could convince them to have a threesome after a sweaty workout. _Gods, not again_ , he thought to himself when his mind wandered. “So exhausted.”

After the holiday and birthday celebrations with his four boyfriends, Sephiroth asked everyone once again if they were ready to live together. Angeal had his internal dilemma, but in the end, he was fine with it. Genesis said that as long as Angeal was willing to make the move, then he was totally on board with the sudden living arrangements. Their townhome sold in record time— two weeks on the market— and the Banora boys had to part ways with their short memories of owning their own home after years of hell in sector eight.

But their new place, the _penthouse_ , offered more than they could ever imagine.

Sephiroth said that the place got renovated since he last lived in it, and the place was designed with a family in mind. Genesis said that the fivesome was _technically_ a family, just not as traditional.

Angeal slowly turned around in the kitchen, pleased with his personal cookware neatly tucked away in the giant cabinets, with a few skillets and pans hanging above the kitchen island. Sephiroth said that he made sure to pick a home where the kitchen was well-equipped with the best appliances and plenty of counter space for a professional chef.

Genesis stretched across the window seat in the library, quietly turning the page to his latest novel. The view behind him was a sight to behold, and the old university looked more out of place in the industrious city of Midgar. The architecture was definitely dated the more he compared it to the surrounding high-rise skyscrapers, including the Shin-Ra Company HQ.

Sephiroth walked into the room and said, “There’s something I want to give you. Do you have a moment?”

Genesis smiled and closed his book, placing it next to him. “Of course.”

The doctor stepped closer and held the CD Denise gave him. “I believe you recognize this.”

His eyes widened as he stared at a photo of himself with his signature right below his profile. “Where…?” his voice trembled as he took it. “How did ‘ya find this?”

“I’ve told you before that Denise was your biggest fan. She wanted me to give this back to you.”

He ran his fingers over the cover before reading his old song list. “I… never thought I would see this again,” he whispered. The professor remembered the joy he felt when his old manager handed him his first mixtape. Angeal was ever supportive of his hard work and couldn’t wait for his fame to begin.

Of course, Genesis let it all get to his head, and his life fell into a downward spiral ever since. Out of rage, he tossed his extra copies into the trash, never to be reminded of what he wanted when he first came to Midgar. But to see his past right in his hands awakened something within him—not something bad, but something… _sad._

Sephiroth gave him a soft smile. “I originally wanted to give this to you as a present, but I didn’t think it was appropriate.”

With a shake of his head, a tiny smirk formed on his lips and he stacked the CD on top of his book. “Either way, I appreciate this. But why did she give it back to you?”

She gave him an explanation, but he knew she wouldn’t admit _everything_ when it came to her feelings. “I think it was mostly because she didn’t want to be reminded of her antagonistic behavior towards you.”

“Hm. Maybe I’ll forgive her for two minutes.”

“At least you are willing to do that much.”

Meanwhile, Zack and Cloud disappeared into the media room to organize their game collection. The blond couldn’t believe the size of the television as they sat on the floor. He couldn’t wait to play games again with Zack, but hoped that they would still use the arcade. Zack said that they would have to do it anyway in order not to wake up the entire penthouse with their loud screaming and the television volume on blast.

“Do you think we could officially make this a gaming room?” Cloud asked.

“Nah. Seph wants to make this our quality time room.”

“What are we, toddlers?”

“It’s more like, with you two married and stuff, he wants to make sure we still act like a fivesome.”

Cloud quietly placed a game in his stack of favorites and dared a glance at Zack, who flipped through a game manual. “Zack, are you still okay with me and Seph?”

“Huh?” he looked at him with a frown.

“The marriage. Top Ten. All of that shit.”

“Hm,” he actually thought his next words carefully. “I am more upset over the fact that we once joked about eloping to Costa, but Seph beat me to it in a way.” He grabbed Cloud’s hand and examined the wedding ring. “I… kinda wish I had a family crest to give to you…”

Cloud went very, very quiet as he stared at Zack. When he returned to Midgar with Seph, Zack was the first to embrace him, followed by Genesis and finally Angeal. Zack couldn’t keep his hands off of him and even whined when Seph wanted to privately talk to him. “I figured as much…”

“What’s worse was when you and Seph went clubbing that night before the party. I never knew Seph danced.”

“ _Never_?”

He shook his head and kissed the ring. “I wish I could see Seph like you did,” he whispered.

Cloud quickly yanked his hand back. “There will be plenty of opportunities because we’re all together now.”

He closed his eyes, feeling slightly embarrassed by his actions. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay. You’ve been kinda emotional lately.”

“I’m allowed to be after hearing about… you know…”

The blond knew exactly what he meant. “I’m just glad Seph saved me before that fucker did anything.”

“Has your therapist been helping you with that since you got back?”

He shrugged. “Sort of. It’s hard to say since I haven’t seen her in a while ‘cuz of the holidays and whatnot.”

Zack shook his head again. “But are you comfortable enough to where you can be open about it?”

“Yeah, actually.”

He smiled and kissed him. “Gods, I wanna make love to you…” he whispered. “But it feels wrong…”

Cloud felt his entire body form goosebumps at the declaration. His face felt hot and he turned away, glancing at the blank television. “I mean, I won’t protest if you wanna get handsy.”

“Huh? Really?!”

“I know I’ve been kinda distant, but I wasn’t sure how to approach you guys…” The last time he had sex was when he got drunk with Seph and had a marathon at that hotel in Junon. But after the party incident, he just wasn’t in the mood to do anything. Seph and Zack already knew it would happen, but Genesis and Angeal became suspicious. During their New Years’ celebration at Seph’s old place, Genesis groped him underneath the blanket, and Cloud clammed up out of fear. He just couldn’t break his promise over not telling Genesis about Luke, so he kept saying that he wasn’t in the mood. Now, he was sexually frustrated, but didn’t want to confuse anybody after denying them for weeks. He said that they could have sex whenever they wanted, but he sensed that nobody did anything without him knowing.

Zack frowned and said, “Just _ask,_ Cloudy. Have we ever pressured you in the past?”

He shook his head. “I know, but I just feel so weird having to ask…”

“We aren’t mind readers you know. We’ve told you that communication is important.” He crawled over him, causing the blond to fall on his back. “So do you want it, or no?”

“Uh, a blowjob is fine.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah.” He propped himself on his elbows and kissed his neck. “I’ll start.”

Zack immediately pushed him back down. “Nuh-uh. You’re always giving. Let me do the work this time.” He slid his hands underneath Cloud’s shirt and stopped to pinch his nipples. He settled between spread legs and leaned down to capture plush lips in a passionate kiss.

Cloud moaned behind the kiss, rolling his hips each time warm fingers played with his chest. Zack’s abnormally high body heat contrasted with the cool air tickling his belly as his shirt was quickly removed and tossed to the side. His boyfriend trailed his tongue down his neck and stopped to play with his nipples. The blond gasped when teeth gently grazed the hardened nubs, followed by a tongue circling around it. “Fuck…”

Zack remembered Cloud’s sensitivity and slowed his movements, listening to stifled groans above him. He kissed down the blond’s chest and stomach, stopping to tickle his belly button while working to unzip his jeans.

Cloud slapped a hand over his mouth when he felt hands cup his erection. He arched his back as hands never stopped kneading and massaging his hard cock through his underwear. Sparks of lust caused goosebumps to form on his skin and he silently begged his boyfriend to give him more. _Please._

The student sensed his desperation and removed Cloud’s pants. He sucked his underwear-clad bulge, reveling in the quiet moans once again. His tongue traced the wet tip of the blond’s tented underwear and held slim hips in place.

Cloud arched his back from Zack’s mouth, whispering that he wanted more—needed more. Cloud wanted Zack to fuck him until he had rug burns. “I wanna come.”

“Shh…” he whispered. “Calm down, Cloudy.”

The blond rocked his hips, despite Zack no longer teasing him. “Give it to me, Zack.”

Genesis mentioned Cloud behaving the same way in the dressing room that time. He stated that Cloud’s reaction was very similar to a submissive hitting sub frenzy, which he also had to explain to his other boyfriends. Yet Angeal suspected that Cloud’s past hookups didn’t indulge in much foreplay, leaving Cloud to expect very little satisfaction from them. However, when he did get more than just a taste, he rushed it, thinking it would end if his partner came before him. “Shh. Take deep breaths.” And here he thought they all did a good job teaching Cloud the art of patience, but apparently, they still had a long way to go.

“Please!” he exclaimed, yanking off his underwear and stroking the head of his cock. “Just fuck me, please! I promise I’ll—” His words were cut short when he felt someone behind him. His head rested against hard muscles, and lips pressed against his temple. “Angeal, please!”

Earlier, the chef stood next to the doorway, listening carefully to the conversation between the two youngest members of the fivesome. He tried so hard to contain his worries, but when Cloud’s pleas shifted to cries, he could no longer remain docile. Angeal’s arms wrapped around Cloud and he said, “Deep breaths, Cloud.”

The blond licked his lips and mentally counted to five. His sex drive already began subsiding the moment he realized that he just embarrassed himself _again_. A deep blush appeared on his face as the room went quiet, and he kept his eyes closed, even though he could feel his boyfriends’ gazes.

“Cloudy, it’s okay,” Zack finally said before kissing the fading scars.

“I… did it again, didn’t I?”

Zack and Angeal exchanged a glance. It was Angeal who said, “To be honest, yeah. But don’t think it’s bad or anything…”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you guys.” His embarrassment grew tenfold as he remained the only naked person in the room.

Zack shook his head. “Nah, we just wanted you to calm down a bit, that’s all.”

“Still though…”

Sephiroth strolled into the room and sighed loudly at the scene before him. “Cloud, are you okay?” At the silent nod, he placed a hand on his hip and added, “I need to borrow you for a while, but if you are busy…”

He shook his head and sat up, ignoring his lingering shame and said, “I could use the distraction.”

It was Zack’s turn to sigh as he tossed the clothes in Cloud’s lap. Someday they will get back to their usual shenanigans, but he had to be patient with Cloudy or else he wouldn’t forgive himself for pushing the blond into doing something that made him uncomfortable.

Once Cloud got dressed, he rode with Sephiroth down the busy streets of Midgar. Seph wanted to show him a ‘belated Yuletide gift’ located not far from the old Banora townhome. The two chatted about their holiday celebrations and Cloud apologized numerous times for not being in the mood for sex. Sephiroth reassured him that it wasn’t a priority.

“I’m simply glad we were able to celebrate together,” the doctor said.

“I can’t believe you planned all of that.” Well, he _could_ , considering the man’s track record, but still… Seph planned it as if he knew the answer beforehand.

“Not all of it. The birthday celebration was not what I had in mind.”

Cloud then wondered how long it’s been since Seph truly celebrated his own birthday. Not many people would consider it as ‘just another day.’ “I still haven’t gotten you a gift.” What does one give the third richest man in the world?

Sephiroth smirked and fought not to look at him. “You wearing my mother’s ring is enough for me.”

He glanced down at his hand, feeling his face grow warm again. “Do I have to wear it every day?”

“For now you don’t have to. But once we are official to the public eye, I will hope that you do.”

Cloud remembered Zack kissing his ring and admitting jealousy just an hour ago. “Did you mention that part to the others?”

“I did it many times. My concern is that if people see you without the ring, they will question our relationship.”

“But if I wear it and they catch me making out with Zack at the club or whatever, then what?”

Sephiroth went very quiet as he changed lanes. He didn’t want to answer, and decided to let his silence speak for him.

The blond frowned as he stared at the tall skyscrapers. “You don’t want me doing PDA with them, do you?” _Please tell me I am wrong._

“Cloud—”

“Just answer the question.”

He sighed. “I haven’t introduced the topic yet.”

“We _literally_ unpacked our last moving box and you mean to tell me that there’s _another_ ulterior motive that we have to live with?!”

“That’s not—”

He sharply turned to him. “Then how will you explain to Genesis that we can’t take dance lessons together? How will you explain to Angeal that we can’t attend the gardening club meetings? How in _gods name_ can you tell Zack that we can’t fucking hold hands at the arcade?!” Everyone planned so many things for the new year. Cloud was excited to spend more time with them and have a schedule where they could be alone without any complaints. “I knew this was too good to be true…”

Sephiroth ran his hand through his hair and wished he brought a box of cigarettes with him. His smoking habits got worse now that he had an upcoming marriage announcement to deal with. Cloud introduced him to the art of orgasms during stress, but he found it strange asking for something so… intimate at random times of the day. The last time he did that, well… “Then are you prepared to deal with media scrutiny over our polyamorous lifestyle? I don’t want to drag everyone, especially Genesis, into public shaming again.”

“I could give a rat’s ass what people say about my romantic life. All we have to do is keep a low profile. If Denise can do it, then so can the five of us.” To this day he wanted to know how that woman managed to fuck all those dudes and not have a scandal to her name. Did it have to do with Rufus’s power?

He made a frustrated sound and swerved the car into the emergency lane. Slamming his breaks, he put the transmission in park and turned to him. “Listen to me,” he began with a deep frown on his face. “You are not realizing what could happen to us once you sign those inheritance papers. The moment our faces are plastered across every media outlet, our lives won’t be the same.”

The blond folded his arms across his chest. “You said that before and I’m just gonna keep repeatin’ what I’ve been saying ever since: I don’t care, Seph.”

“Cloud, you will be known as a Marshall. Many people know you as Strife, but as a Marshall, you have a burden on your shoulders as a new member of the Top Ten.” He was so grateful that Skye lived peacefully in Nibelheim. He asked her if suspicious people trailed her and she claimed that winter in the mountains was forever quiet.

“If you bring up reputation again, I will throw this ring at you and take a taxi home. Reputations didn’t stop certain individuals like that hotel heir drugging me and—” He shook his head. “You know what I mean.”

“It doesn’t matter about them. You will be a Marshall who is married to a Crescent _and_ the brother-in-law of a Shin-Ra. People will want to know everything about you and dig around for information.”

Cloud shrugged his shoulders. “You can throw whatever horror story you can at me, Seph, but I thought nobody would try to fuck with you because of your status?”

“Not when there’s constant bait. I can’t always justify every little thing we do.”

“Why the fuck did you want everyone to move in together if you don’t want us _being_ together?”

“The main reason was to keep everyone happy. However, it mostly has to do with the word you hate the most.” Sephiroth hoped to every higher power that the new rules would be taken with utmost understanding; but foolish of him to think that anyone would accept ‘acting like prudes’ in the public eye. “I know you’ve told me several times that it’s not about that and I should live my life accordingly, but this is a serious matter and I worry about what could happen to everyone if we get out of control for a mere second.”

He was now angry, angrier than five minutes ago. He wanted to scream at his boyfriend-turned-husband, but he knew that another outburst would get him nowhere. They were right back where they started a few months ago and it felt like a never-ending tennis match. “Can we just go home? I’m too pissed to be excited about this present of mine.”

Sephiroth huffed and said, “Very well. Maybe next time.”

So much for happily ever after.


	2. Chapter Two

Cloud was too angry to eat dinner with his boyfriends and heated up a bag of fun nuggets. He made sure to slam the door behind him as he grumbled to himself and sat on the floor in one of the guest bedrooms. His video call to Tifa was declined several times until he finally requested a normal phone call.

“I’m thinking this was an emergency when really, you’re having the same boyfriend drama,” she said.

Her voice sounded a little strained, but he figured she just finished her training session. “This _is_ an emergency, Tiff! You said that I can always go to you whenever I have problems!”

“That… was when you first started dating them. Haven’t you l-learned anyTHING!” she coughed.

_The fuck is going on?_ “I learned that Seph is being an ass again with this whole reputation bullshit. I thought we were over that, but it seems that he’s still butthurt over _me_ in particular doing some wild shit with everyone because I’m a Marshall or whatever.” Though if the mood strikes, he would be so down for whatever his boyfriends threw at him. He suppressed a shiver when he briefly imagined getting fucked behind a club. _Hoo boy_ … “What should I do, Tifa?”

She was quiet on the other line for a moment, save for heavy breathing, and then she finally said, “Listen, I’m not… in the best mood to give you a talk right now. Let’s hang out tomorrow at the bar when I’m in—uh—better spirits.”

“Uh oh, what’s—” Cloud rolled his eyes when it finally registered what she was doing. “Is Aerith eating you out while we’re talking?”

“Y-You called me like a h-hundred times! I thought it was an em-mergency!”

“You still answered the phone while getting head though?”

Aerith shouted in the background, “That’s what I said! She picked you over me again!”

Cloud tried not to laugh, “I’ll see y’all tomorrow or whenever you’re not fucking.”

Tifa took a little longer than normal to say, “Wow. Who would have thought that you’d beat me to a phrase I used all the time?”

The blond stuck his tongue out, knowing that she wouldn’t see his expression anyway, and ended the call. At least she’s having the time of her life in her new apartment. He was reminded of Genesis once saying that the fivesome needed to “bless each room” once they settled in. Cloud didn’t get it at first until he stared hard at the look on his face.

Eventually, his sex drive will come back from the dead, but today was just a shit day that nothing could arouse him, even if a dick waved in his face. Maybe the meds had something to do with it too. Seph said that it’s possible, but he factored in the stressful situations surrounding the fivesome and after he learned what Luke tried to do to him. Every day, Cloud thanked the gods that he didn’t remember much about Luke. However, there were times where he had flashbacks of that night in the car. Something else happened that part of him wanted to know, while the other part wanted to leave it in the dark. His therapist said that she will work with him on healing and moving on from his abusive past relationships and figured that the unwanted memories would resurface then. So far, it’s been a blessing after all the shit that happened to him since he moved to Midgar.

The entire fivesome has been a blessing, bullshittery aside.

“Cloud?” Genesis’s voice called before he knocked on the door.

Startled from his thoughts, the blond frowned and said, “If you expect me to make nice with Seph then it won’t happen for a while.”

Genesis opened the door and leaned against it with a quirk of his brow. “I probably know what the argument is about, but I wanted to ask you something else.”

Cloud pushed his plate of nuggets aside, mad that he literally ate two before he was no longer hungry. “What is it?”

“Would you like to join me for a night out?”

“Like a date?”

“Sure.”

“Don’t you have to be on campus tomorrow?”

“Yes, but that doesn’t mean we can’t spend time together. I wanted to wait until later, but I think this would be a perfect opportunity to cheer you up.” _While I have you all to myself._

He shrugged his shoulders. “Fine.”

In the car, Genesis inserted a CD and lowered the volume when a rock ballad blasted through the speakers. He smiled while watching the media player display the name of his old song.

Cloud’s eyes widened when he recognized the singer. “Is this your mixtape?”

Genesis nodded and started the car. “I wrote this song when I first moved to Midgar.” His sheltered life wasn’t prepared for the boisterous city of Midgar. The tall buildings and night sky terrified him, but the more he adjusted to the city life, the more he became fascinated by the sleepless subcultures.

The blond slowly nodded. He could definitely hear how he influenced 7Neves outside of the lyrics. Forrest and Gen were in a band once before, of course, yet Cloud had a feeling that Forrest kept their old vibes with his current group because it matched Gen’s lyrics. “It’s still weird how you went from this to a literature professor.”

He smirked and sped past a car driving too slow for his tastes. “Seph said the same thing when we first met.”

His mood dropped at the mention of that man’s name. “Hm.”

Genesis glanced at him and easily picked up his demeanor. Instead of asking about the argument, he carefully directed the conversation to, “Did something else happen in Junon between you two?” He was still pissed when he found out that Seph knew how to dance. This entire time they’ve been together and not once did Seph get up to dance with Cloud at Lucid Dreams when he was about to go off somewhere with a stranger.

Cloud was confused by the sudden change of subject. “Not really.”

Then… “Did you see Stupid Luke?”

“Yeah.”

“And?”

He tossed him a pointed look but then remembered that Genesis never lets shit go. “I can’t believe you were with that guy for so long.”

Angeal still says that from time to time. “He say anything to you?”

“He called me ‘pretty kitty’.”

“That’s his nickname for people who catch his interests. What else did he say?”

“Nothing, really.”

“Really,” the doubt in his voice was so thick that he had to take a deep breath and cut off another slow driver. Luke was a fucking horndog and would do whatever it took to get anyone to fuck him. Once he found his target, they succumbed to his twisted games. It took a long time for Genesis to finally break away from that fucker and live his own life. But there were times where he missed the crazy lifestyle and unpredictable moments. Angeal told him over and over again that sacrificing his mental health for the sake of instant gratification wasn’t worth it.

Cloud answered, “It was in passing. I was walking towards the bar when he did it, but someone else got his attention and he left me alone.” _I can’t tell you what he did, Gen._

Genesis found that very hard to believe. Cloud is a beautiful man and would never go unnoticed by many people, especially Luke. He _loved_ the androgynous kind. “He found someone cuter than you?”

“I was Claire, remember? You said he didn’t really care much for girls.” He glared at him. “Did you kidnap me so you could interrogate me?” This ride felt like déjà vu.

“I find it very, _very_ coincidental that you weren’t in the mood for sex after you returned from Junon. The spotlight was on you and you mean to tell me that he never did anything else outside of cat-calling you?”

He rolled his eyes. “I told you that being alone with Denise was traumatizing enough because just a few months ago, she tried to kill me with that bullshit plan. How would you feel after being in the same room with someone who fucked you over?”

A wicked smile appeared on his face as he quickly swerved through the lanes, briefly glancing at the rearview mirror when a car tailgated him as some sort of silly intimidation tactic. _Fuck off._ “You should know the answer to that.”

“I know you tried to kill him and you would do it again in a heartbeat. But I also know that you want an excuse to go on your murderous spree at Lucky Luke.”

He clucked his tongue. “I need to get better at hiding my intentions.”

“I’ve been with Seph long enough to know if someone has a hidden agenda.”

“Fine, I’ll drop it for now and ask this: Did he pull the reputation bullshit again?”

“ _Gods_ ,” Cloud told him about the argument.

Genesis couldn’t help but snort at the two married people of the fivesome having the same exact argument like before. No matter how often those two are alone, someone is bound to get pissed off. And here he thought his weekly arguments with Ange were tiresome. “Hm. Funny how he put the assumption on you only.”

“Thank _fuck_ someone agrees with me!”

“Though given what’s happened before, he may have a few points.”

“What do you mean?”

“My life as Gackt didn’t end simply because of that kink scene gone wrong. It was because of how I dismissed being a celebrity.” He sighed. “I was hooked on parties and getting fucked up in the clubs. It got to the point where I missed meetings because I was knocked out cold somewhere.” His manager tirelessly covered up his stupid actions with ‘Oh, he’s busy’ or whatever else he could come up with on the spot. To this day, Genesis wondered what that man was doing after everything that happened.

“I remember you saying that, but you made it seem like those photos of you covered in blood was what did it.”

“It was the last straw, yes. Because my manager couldn’t cover up that giant fuck-up, the media had a field day with digging up my past.” He always sensed that Luke helped them end his career. Luke wasn’t good enough to be a solo rock star and did everything in his power to manipulate him just so nothing would be said. “Imagine if your status pissed off the wrong people, like Alan for example.”

Cloud went very, very quiet when he thought about all of his exes emerging from hell to expose his dark secrets. Was that what Seph meant earlier, but didn’t want to say outright for courtesy’s sake? _The black book…_ He suddenly imagined one of his exes on some radio show exposing all of his sex secrets and laughing about it. Cloud also remembered that other fucker cheating him out of gil.

He then remembered why he never liked the idea of polyamory before he met everyone.

Genesis placed a hand over trembling fingers and laced them together. “To be honest with you, there are days where I wonder when the dean will finally find out about Gackt and kick me out the university.” Sephiroth said those things because if it was just him and Cloud, then they could do whatever they wanted. But since they had three other boyfriends now living with them, they had to be extra careful.

His thumb rubbed the metal ring claiming Cloud’s finger and he tried his hardest to suppress his jealousy. The reason he was so attached to his dear heart was because they had more in common than anyone else in the fivesome. Sure, Zack and Cloud were close in age and shared a lot of the same interests, but the more Cloud opened up to him, the more he saw a lot of his past self. The major difference was that Cloud had so much support from the women in his life. Genesis only had Angeal, and even then, his dearest had his own shit to deal with.

* * *

Genesis carefully hung his red leather trench coat in the locker before closing it shut. Cloud followed suit and said, “An ice-skating rink?”

He shrugged his shoulders and expertly walked across the ground on his ice skates. “I used to come here a lot to de-stress. Sometimes Angeal would come with me if he wasn’t pissed off at me.”

Cloud looked at him in shock. “Angeal knows how to ice skate?”

The professor turned back to regard him. “Yes. Why does that surprise you?”

“He…” _doesn’t seem the type._

“Remember that this is the same man who is known as Buster Sword.”

“True…” The blond hurried after him.

Before they entered the outdoor ice rink, Genesis asked if Cloud knew how to ice skate.

The blond laughed and skated onto the arena before twirling around to face him. “I literally had to ice skate to Tifa’s house every winter.” Nibelheim trained them to be winter sport professionals every fucking year.

Genesis glided after him and said, “Then let’s have some fun.” He skated past him and posed with his arms positioned like a dancer.

Cloud watched him in awe as Genesis skated around the rink, weaving through a few couples and laughed at a child also staring at him in shock. The blond quickly followed suit, though not as graceful. The two suddenly became teacher and student once again, mimicking each other and laughing whenever one of them posed in the wrong direction. Eventually, Cloud found himself in the arms of his boyfriend. The two spun around as fast as they could, laughing until Genesis lost his balance and Cloud fell on top of him.

“You okay?!” the blond exclaimed as he quickly crawled off him.

He sighed and rubbed his lower back. “I’m thirty-three, not sixty-three.”

Cloud snickered at the numerous age jokes that came to mind. “No comment.”

“I see that look in your eyes, dear heart.” Genesis took his hands and helped himself up. They did it so perfectly that he couldn’t wait to show off during their dance lessons.

“Nah, I’m just dizzy.”

“Stupid.”

“Shut up, old fart.”

Genesis decided to gently bully Cloud by forcing him to lose his balance once again. Before the blond collided with the ice, he caught him in time and they slowly glided towards the wall, laughing at each other.

“The next time you do that, I’m taking you with me!” Cloud leaned against the wall, giving his boyfriend a mock glare.

He enjoyed watching the playful expression on his face. Cloud looked much more relaxed compared to earlier in the car. “Try me, then.”

They were back to ice skating once again, noticing that more couples started to leave and head home. It was rather late in the evening, but Genesis wanted to wait until the place closed for the night. Though, that never stopped people in the past from sneaking onto the ice and live out their romcom fantasies.

Cloud skated behind him and wrapped his arms around his lover’s waist. “I noticed that your accent vanished.”

Genesis rolled his eyes. Several people in his department pointed out his country accent and few found it to be cute. But to hear the word ‘cute’ from people he didn’t like made him immediately stop speaking Nibel. The only person who was allowed to call him ‘cute’ was Skye. His boyfriends were allowed to do it, but on rare occasions. “Yeah, well, I don’t need to sound like eighteen-year-old me while lecturing about phonetics, so I stopped speaking your native tongue.”

The blond whispered, “Would you get mad if I started speaking it?”

He frowned. “Why would I?”

Their glides slowed to short scoots, and Cloud pressed his cheek against his boyfriend’s sweater. “Just wondering if you would be mad if I said…” His heart beat faster in his chest when gloved hands brushed his, “… _I love you…”_

Genesis’s breath hitched when he translated the meaning from memory. He turned around hard enough to break free from Cloud’s grip and stared at him with wide eyes. “Did I hear you correctly?”

He nodded with a smile on his face. “The phrase I use for Ma is different. _I love you_ means that I… love you in a romantic sense.”

The professor kissed him without another word, grabbing his face with both hands and brought their bodies closer. They stood in the middle of the ice-skating rink in a passionate kiss, no longer caring about the numerous glances they got from the few people around them.

Genesis was the one to move back and muttered, “You said it first.”

Cloud, now dizzy from such intensity known as Genesis Rhapsodos, looked at him in confusion.

“I’ve always wanted to say it,” he explained, feeling his heart skip several beats as he was finally able to tell Cloud what he wanted to say for a long, long time. “But with all the shit happening last year, I didn’t want to drop another emotional bomb on you.” Plus, Zack beat him to it. Dare he not follow on the romantic heels of the student and confess to the blond too... “ _I love you,_ Cloud.”

He said it in Nibel so perfectly, that Cloud had to remind himself that Genesis learned the language in such a short amount of time just so he could talk to him during the recovery period. Genesis was also the person who read Loveless to him in the hospital—the same person who broke his sobriety when the blond tried to break up with his four boyfriends long before the explosion happened. Cloud repressed his feelings for Gen because he thought that it was unfair to Zack. After talking with his therapist, however, he learned that he fell in love with Zack _and_ Genesis around the same time. Zack was the one to coax his feelings out of the depths of his subconscious and showed him that it was okay to fall for someone who made him happy. They will never be his past exes, who broke his heart time and time again.

It was getting late and the two were the last to leave the ice-skating rink. Walking hand-in-hand, Cloud and Genesis enjoyed their alone time in silence. The blond secretly wished that they had a little more time together, but knew that Gen had an early morning on campus tomorrow. He squeezed his boyfriend’s hand, causing a glance and a bright smile on his face.

After they got in the car, Genesis turned on the engine, but his darling red car sputtered before going silent. He did it again and Cloud glanced over at the dashboard to see that he was completely out of gas.

“Uh, Gen?” the blond muttered. “You didn’t gas up today?”

With a huff, he settled back in his seat. “I forgot.” Angeal nagged at him nonstop about leaving the townhome with ten percent battery life on his cell phone and less than a quarter of a tank of gas in his car. “Ange usually takes care of that.”

“Well, call him!”

He pulled out his cell phone and let out a heavy sigh when his phone was completely dead. _Oops_.

Cloud smacked his forehead. “I left my cell at home…” Why the fuck did he not think to bring it with him?! Genesis was notorious for living on the edge. “Let’s just take the train home.”

The professor remained silent as he gazed out the window at the row of cars down the street. His conscious told him to follow Cloud’s suggestion, but he had this sudden urge to see if he could still… Genesis turned to Cloud and said, “Don’t tell Angeal what I’m about to do.”

“Huh?!” He watched Genesis get out of the car and tie his scarf over his mouth.

The professor grabbed several tools from underneath the mat of his car trunk and rushed over to an expensive-looking car that rivaled one of Seph’s many luxury vehicles. He pulled out a crowbar and proceeded to perform his old method of breaking into a car. Nowadays, cars got more fancy and made it a little trickier to break into, but this model was older and didn’t require any new skills.

Cloud stayed inside the car and watched Genesis prop open the door without setting off the alarm. He let out a surprised sound when his boyfriend motioned for him to get inside the other vehicle. Once Cloud did as such, he watched the man tie several wires together, and whispered, “Gen?! What the fuck are you doing?!”

Genesis twisted a screwdriver in the ignition and smirked when the car engine revved up right away. “We’re going to get gas.” Angeal would lose his mind if he found out that they had to leave the car behind because of his forgetfulness. He slammed the door and put on his seatbelt. “Promise me you won’t tell him or the others?”

Cloud silently met his gaze, remembering that this was the same man who most likely collided with Denise when he was drunk. And yet, despite knowing that, he felt a pleasurable rush that brought goosebumps on his skin. The fact that he watched his boyfriend hijack a car stirred something deep in his subconscious that reminded him of his past. The past life where he always fell for the ‘bad boys’ and watched them do crazy shit that made him break out of his sheltered, country boy life. “Y-Yeah… I promise…”

He carefully watched the expression on his boyfriend’s face. He thought Cloud would take back what he said earlier after seeing the ‘other’ side of him. But that sultry look told Genesis that maybe Cloud needed a little spark to bring back that insatiable sex drive. Maybe Seph should reconsider his statements and let them all have a little fun; especially if Cloud made this very look that forced him to kiss those pouty lips again.

“ _I love you._ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Genesis........ LMAO


	3. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mostly a smut chapter with a tiny bit of food play

Sleeping arrangements were still being negotiated. Sephiroth ordered a custom bed that could fit around seven people; but with four boyfriends—two built like tanks—the bed dimensions were perfect for five grown men. However, it would take a few weeks for the bed to be delivered to the penthouse. For now, the five decided to sleep separately: Genesis and Angeal in one room, and Sephiroth and Zack in the next room. Cloud was given the green light to rotate sleep schedules with each couple. The blond felt that they were back to where they started last year, only that everyone was in the same home. Angeal explained that no one could agree on sleeping arrangements, so it was best to stick with the usual.

The chef noticed the glint in Gen’s eyes upon returning home with Cloud closely following him, barely muttering a greeting when he spotted Zack in the kitchen making his late-night snack. Sephiroth kept himself occupied in the office, taking the time to stay away from Cloud until one of them was calm enough to reconcile. Even though he didn’t tell the others what the argument was about, Genesis, Angeal, and Zack easily figured it out by the way Cloud was only angry at Sephiroth.

“Have fun?” Angeal asked after Genesis hung his coat in the closet while wearing a giant grin on his face.

“I need to speak to you privately,” he glanced back at Cloud, who shrugged his shoulders. The blond promised not to tell a living soul that they drove a stolen car to buy gas containers. Upon returning to the parking lot, they saw a man frantically running around while screaming on his cellphone. Genesis acted casual as he left the car in the same parking spot and hurried towards his own car. Cloud remained silent as they drove home, placing a hand on his chest while gazing out the window. The professor still felt that his cute boyfriend wasn’t used to the adrenaline rush with the way his eyes were wider than usual.

Angeal briefly looked at Cloud before nodding. “Let’s talk in the bedroom.”

As the two disappeared down the hallway, Cloud was left alone with Zack. The student blew on his ramen noodles, his blue eyes lingering on the back of Cloud’s head. “You okay?”

The blond jumped from his boyfriend’s voice and slowly turned to regard him. He completely forgot that he now lived with four other men. “I told Gen I loved him.”

Zack dropped his fork in shock. “Really?! What did he say?”

A warm smile appeared on his face. “He said he loved me too.”

He returned the smile with a small one of his own. “He’s been like that for a long time, you know.”

“Huh?”

“Gen obsessed over you after that night at the hotel. I dunno what you did, but he’s been smitten ever since.”

Cloud thought back to how Genesis used to call him ‘little bird,’ and quickly changed his nickname, along with defending him against one of his exes. Wait, was that when Gen fell in love? _How_ when their conversation lasted like two minutes before they went back to fucking? “Hm…”

“What’s wrong?”

“I really don’t understand feelings.” He scratched his head, careful not to touch his old scar. “One minute, we’re angry at each other; and the next, we’re having pillow talk.”

Zack snorted. “You sound like Seph.” That man said the same thing to him not too long ago.

He pouted and lowered his arm. “People keep saying that, but I’m trying to find the similarities between us when he’s a butthole and I’m not.”

Zack set his bowl to the side and walked over to his cute blond, pulling him into an embrace. “You’re both very stubborn, that’s for sure.” He kissed the top of spiky blond hair.

“You must have figured out what the argument was about.”

“Yeah and I know he said all of that for a reason.”

Cloud pushed him back with a glare. “Zack, he’s acting like _I’m_ gonna ruin his so-called reputation!”

“Did he also assume you’d go back to your old ways now that you have four boyfriends to play with?”

“What do you think?”

Zack shrugged. “I mean, whenever you’re alone with one of us, shenanigans ensue in five minutes—not that I mind because that’s how I roll with people.”

“Seph thinks it will make our lives difficult because we’re in an open marriage.” He folded his arms across his chest, pouting again.

_You’re so cute._ “We just need to be sneaky. If he wants this fivesome to work, he will have to let us have a ‘lil fun from time to time.” He drew Cloud back into a hug and rested his head on top of soft strands. “I’ll try to talk to him tonight.”

“I feel like that should be my job.”

“Well, I doubt you’ll be sleeping with us on the first night.”

“…Sorry,” he buried his face in his chest.

“S’cool. Maybe if I tweak his nipples while complaining, he’d relent.”

“You’re so stupid.”

“Then I’m the Dean’s List and perfect GPA kind of stupid!”

With a roll of his eyes, he playfully pushed him back and laughed. He still couldn’t believe that they finally moved in together. After about a year of crazy shit surrounding them, they still managed to pull through as a fivesome. “I’m so lucky to have all four of you.”

Zack’s eyes briefly darted past him at something and made a tiny smirk on his face. “Even Seph?”

“Yeah. He may be an ass ninety percent of the time, but I like him a lot. He’s done so much for me when he really didn’t have to…” Cloud idly rubbed his arm. “Uh, between you and me, I really miss his hands because he’s so fucking good in bed, and there are times where my one braincell explodes when I think about him naked and—” Zack looked very interested in whatever was behind him. “—he’s standing right behind me, isn’t he?” 

He laughed, holding onto his stomach as Sephiroth looked at the back of Cloud’s head in surprise. “Well, Seph? You think Cloud still hates you?”

The doctor, wearing his black pajamas and holding his empty tea mug, almost blushed at Cloud’s words. Thank the gods that he wasn’t solely caught off guard when he should be used to these ‘compliments.’ “I…”

With a huff, the blond marched down the hallway as he failed to hide his embarrassment. “Fuck _both_ of y’all!”

The next day, Cloud woke to an empty bed. He groaned and rolled to his side, burying his face in the pillow that smelled like Angeal. The chef slept in the middle because he mentioned that Genesis slept better when he clung to him. Cloud was okay with it, but Genesis wanted to sleep with Cloud in the middle. But the second they snuggled in the bed like Angeal suggested, the professor passed out with a light snore, causing them to snicker under the blankets.

Putting on his glasses, the blond walked into the kitchen with the intent on searching for food and saw Angeal wearing his usual white tank and grey sweatpants. Cloud never stopped staring at his broad back and triceps flexing as he chopped fruit on the kitchen island. Angeal looked like a snack, and Cloud was suddenly hungry for something else…

“Morning,” Angeal said with a small smile.

He blinked, not realizing that he stared at him for so long that he never saw him turn around. “Uh… hey, Ange.”

“Sleep well?”

“Yeah.” He approached him and wrapped his arms around his boyfriend’s waist. “Did Gen also sleep well like you predicted?”

“Yep.” Angeal chuckled and held him tightly. “He clung to my back, per usual, and stayed in one spot.”

Cloud was forever jealous over their ability to recognize each other’s behaviors to the point that they could put a psychologist out of business. “That’s so cute.”

However, the main reason Angeal wanted to sleep in the middle was because of his conversation with Genesis. Cloud and Genesis finally confessed to each other and the professor was smiling the entire time he recalled the moment leading up to the blond’s immediate declaration of love. Angeal was relieved to hear that Gen didn’t have to hide his feelings anymore, but when he recounted how the fivesome became close, he noticed that everyone shifted their attention on Cloud. Sure, he had a lead on Genesis like Seph had on Zack, but they wouldn’t have grown close so fast if it wasn’t for… _him_.

“Angeal, I can’t breathe,” Cloud’s muffled voice spoke through his thoughts.

He quickly released him. “Sorry.”

“Something wrong?” He adjusted his glasses, grateful that they didn’t break.

The chef quietly looked at him, remembering how they met by chance and what led to the weird snowball effect of cheating behind everyone’s backs into closing their circle as a fivesome. Angeal finally realized that after his fight with Genesis over Cloud, he stayed in the shadows and allowed everyone to grow closer to the blond. Sephiroth married Cloud. Zack and Genesis fell in love with Cloud. But he was just ‘a boyfriend.’

This wasn’t fair; this wasn’t how it’s supposed to be.

“Angeal?”

With a shake of his head, he gave him a reassuring smile and said, “Sorry. I was thinking.”

Cloud wanted to ask, but kept his mouth shut. Instead, he glanced at the various plates of fruits. “Experimenting again?”

“Sort of. I wanted to be more prepared when wedding season hits.”

He saw the sliced apples and took one, ignoring Angeal’s annoyed look as he ate it. “Mm, Banora White.”

With a sigh, he pushed the plate over to Cloud, who took it with a goofy grin on his face. “First Zack and now you.” Zack was like a puppy at the dinner table earlier this morning.

“Where is everyone?”

“Seph is at the research facility and Gen and Zack went to campus together.”

Cloud almost choked. “Gen let Zack ride in his car?!”

“That’s what I said. I think they’re finally growing close.” Probably because Cloud loved both of them, so they were on equal terms now.

He thought about the bet and looked off to the side. Wasn’t Gen supposed to use that secret Corel package that _still_ hasn’t been opened? “Can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“Why is it that whenever I’m not in the mood for sex, you four don’t just fuck each other?” Cloud fought not to look embarrassed as Angeal gave him a curious look. “I shouldn’t be cock-blocking y’all because of my moods or whatever.”

“Hmm…” he placed a hand on his chin. “I think it’s because when we did do it a few times, you kind of got jealous—especially when Zack was involved.”

Cloud suddenly didn’t want the rest of the apple slices and placed them back on the marble-top island. “Oh… sorry…”

“It’s okay, Cloud. We realized that you aren’t used to sharing boyfriends.” Then again, nobody is no matter how long they’ve done it. “The four of us agreed to tone it down around you until you were more comfortable. It didn’t seem right to keep having sex when you were left out.”

The blond looked at him with a faint smile on his face. He was too fucking lucky to have them in his life, like he said to Zack last night. But he was so very glad to have met Angeal by chance. Angeal was the first person in his entire dating life who had sex with him and spent the night. Even though the chef got what he wanted, he never stopped hanging out with him. Cloud wondered why he never noticed that before. “Thank you, Ange.”

He frowned. “What for?”

“Even though we started off very horny towards each other, I’m really grateful that you never abandoned me after we had sex.” Cloud felt embarrassed again, but his therapist encouraged him hundreds of times to express his feelings with his boyfriends and not bottle them up to the point where it was unhealthy. “The few guys who did last a month on my phone contacts only called me for one thing and then kicked me out, or left my place. You, on the other hand, took the time to invite me to places and actually cared about what I said.” Their time together always ended in sex, but Angeal never made him feel like he was just another toy. Then it was later revealed that Zack never went further than a kiss because he didn’t want to break his promise to Sephiroth. Cloud was too busy being angry that he found men who gave a shit about him, instead of listening to Tifa constantly tell him that he found good people. “You were honestly the first guy who spent the night with me. I’m sorry it took me a long time to tell you that.”

Angeal was speechless. Genesis told him about Cloud not being used to sleeping with people. He didn’t think much of it back then outside of sympathy, but now that he heard it again, it meant more to Cloud than he would have ever realized. “Cloud…”

The blond didn’t have time to react when lips pressed against his own. He let out a muffled sound and grasped his shirt when a tongue slid inside his mouth. Large hands wandered down his back and stopped to grab his ass, causing him to moan in the kiss. Angeal then broke away to kiss down the side of his neck. “M-More.”

“You sure?” he asked in a tone that caused Cloud to shudder.

“I-I think so.” He was now horny and wanted an orgasm by his boyfriend. Though he noticed that sometimes his sex drive would show up, only to disappear in a matter of minutes. _Stupid Luke._ “I don’t wanna be like yesterday though…”

“Don’t worry about that.” He needed to remind the others that they should try to be gentler with Cloud in the bedroom.

Cloud sat on the edge of the kitchen island engaged in another make out session with Angeal. Wandering hands slid underneath his shirt and pinched his nipples. “Ah!”

Angeal pulled back with a smile and kissed him on the forehead. “I love it when you wear my shirts.” Cloud always looked adorable in them.

“Mm, comfy…”

He chuckled before kissing him again, debating if he should remove the shirt or keep it on. Cloud tugged at his tank top, in which the chef grabbed his hands and held them down on either side of the fidgeting blond. “Not yet.”

“I don’t wanna get caught.” He hoped that they had enough time before Seph and the others came back.

Five men living in a penthouse is everyone’s wet dream plus more; and the idea of getting caught fucking another boyfriend was one of Gen’s personal kinks. Then Angeal remembered that Cloud wasn’t used to that yet and needed more time to feel comfortable living with four boyfriends. “We have time, I promise.” His eyes flickered to the clock behind Cloud and estimated that they had enough time before Genesis and Zack returned. However, Sephiroth’s schedule remained unpredictable.

Cloud squirmed on the countertop, body aching to have Angeal’s cock make a mess out of him. “Please, Ange.”

Angeal was reminded once again that Cloud was so used to rushing his orgasm before his former sex partners got theirs. “Don’t focus on sex ending, but only what I want to do to you.” He squeezed trembling hands and added, “Foreplay, rather.”

“…I’ll try not to come then.” But what if he did anyway? Would Angeal get mad and stop?

The chef saw the doubt running across his face and sighed. “Cloud, remember that I’m not a hookup. I’m your boyfriend.” He kissed soft lips and whispered, “Don’t let your anxiety ruin what you love to do.”

He responded with a small smile, and lifted his head for another kiss.

Angeal’s fingers slipped beneath the shirt once again, stopping to pull down black boxers and let gravity do the rest. He gently grasped Cloud’s hard cock and pressed his thumb against the leaky slit. At the high-pitched moan coming from the blond, he dipped his head to suck on Cloud’s neck.

“Fuck…” Cloud gripped the edge of the kitchen island, spreading his legs wider when a calloused hand worked its magic. Fuck, Angeal was just as good with his hands as Seph was!

The chef released his cock and brought his fingers to Cloud’s lips. The blond eagerly tasted himself, giving him a look as a hint that his mouth belonged elsewhere. Angeal almost allowed Cloud to have his fun, but he did that more than enough times in the past. It was time to teach Cloud how to fully enjoy foreplay.

Over and over again, his nipples were tugged and pulled in ways that left him breathless. No matter how many times his lovers played with one of his sensitive spots, his body reacted as if it was their first time discovering them. Right when he started feeling really good, however, Angeal abruptly stopped. Cloud then paid attention to a cell phone ringing behind him.

“Sorry, I’ve been expecting this call.” The chef walked around the island and answered it.

Cloud stared at Angeal with his mouth falling open. Did he just answer the fucking phone in the _middle_ of _foreplay_?! And just five minutes ago, he was told to ‘enjoy the moment.’ Feeling more insulted over anything, he then remembered Aerith’s solution when Tifa did the same thing with her. With a smirk, Cloud hopped off the counter, suddenly given enough incentive to do the deed. He found the coconut oil in the pantry and patiently waited for the chef to stand still.

Angeal placed a notebook on the kitchen island next to the plates of fruit and discussed the current shipments to the culinary school. He scribbled a few notes down and tried to listen carefully to his colleague’s boring opinions when his brain was still on sex mode. He barely registered cool air tickling his legs and wondered if Seph adjusted the thermostat before he left the home.

Cloud rolled his eyes when he knelt in front of Angeal’s soft cock. Although he pulled the chef’s pants down, Angeal didn’t say a word, meaning that it would take a little more effort to distract him. The blond scooped some coconut oil out of the jar and rubbed it all around his hands. He then stroked Angeal’s cock, almost giggling at how there was no reaction. _Angeal, what the fuck?_

“I think you should—” he gasped and almost lost his balance when warm, wet heat encircled his cock. Angeal glanced down and found Cloud giving him a blowjob. “Cl—” his breath hitched again and he muted his call. “Cloud!”

The blond slurped on his boyfriend’s semi-hard cock, gazing up at him with a devious glint in his eyes. He pulled back and caught his breath, missing how Angeal’s huge dick stretched his mouth. “I’m just keeping the mood going.”

Foolish of him to think Cloud would kindly wait to continue where they left off. With a sigh, Angeal heard his fellow chef yell his name and he unmuted the call. “Sorry, I… saw something I liked.” Ignoring Cloud’s snort, he gritted his teeth when that sinful mouth wrapped around his dick again. “No, no. It’s not food related.”

_I wanna hear you struggle with talking._ Cloud cupped Angeal’s balls and trailed his tongue down the large shaft. The chef was now completely hard, and Cloud had to take a moment to marvel at its size. _Fuck, I needed this._

Angeal tried so hard to level his voice. When he felt a mouth on the head of his cock again, he prayed to the gods that he didn’t moan during the damn conversation. Cloud’s oral skills were still the best he’s ever experienced, though Genesis was quickly climbing that rank after figuring out Cloud’s techniques. “Yes, I think it’s—fu— _fine_ that we add that to the co-course…” He cradled his cellphone on his shoulder and gripped the side of the marble countertop so hard that his knuckles turned white. His pen was no longer writing legible phrases as he drew circles on his notebook to pretend that he could multitask.

Cloud inwardly rejoiced over Angeal’s faltering control. He pulled back again with a loud smack and ran his tongue along the protruding vein on the shaft. Cloud then focused most of his attention right on the underside of Angeal’s cockhead. Precum smeared on his glasses, but he really didn’t care. The smell, taste, and _feel_ of cock was enough to keep him focused on his task.

“Yesss…” he whispered when Cloud swallowed his cock so easily. “I-I mean… sure, we can…” the chef closed his eyes and breathed through his nose, “…ah, godsdamn…”

The blond almost choked in laughter after hearing Angeal losing this battle. He went even deeper, remembering to breathe in time with his movements. Spit dribbled onto the tile floor as he worked on stifling his gag reflex. He got bold and carefully squeezed Angeal’s balls with his free hand.

“Ahh, shit! Let me call… back!” Angeal ended it abruptly and slammed his phone on the kitchen island. “Cloud!”

He moaned when a hand grabbed his hair and guided his head to bob even faster. Angeal’s cock throbbed in his mouth, signaling that he was already close. _I win._

“I’m gonna come,” he muttered. When he watched Cloud immediately pull back, he groaned at the sight of a thick string of saliva-mixed precum connecting his cock to Cloud’s tongue. “Fuck…” He stroked his cock twice before he came all over Cloud’s face. He never stopped his strokes, coaxing out more cum all over the blond.

Cloud flinched when the last of warm fluid landed on his glasses. Thank the gods he wore them because Angeal came _a lot_ this round. “Holy shit.” This was like when Zack had all that pent-up sexual energy from his dry spell.

Catching his breath, Angeal let out a short laugh. “I… Yeah, my bad.”

Cloud scooped some off his cheek and brought his fingers to his mouth. “Mm, I love it when you feed me.”

That expression, followed by thick cum dripping off his glasses, was what made him ask, “Let me take a video.”

He was taken aback by the request, but that horny braincell overshadowed logic, and the blond sucked his finger with a nod. Cloud didn’t expect Angeal to ask for his permission when they were pretty trusting in their relationship. But he appreciated him asking first nonetheless.

Angeal quickly grabbed his phone and recorded Cloud licking cum off his hand. Speechless, he zoomed the camera on his boyfriend’s messy face before lowering it down his shirt to the hard cock barely covered by the cloth.

“Ah, Angeal…” Cloud stroked his cock using cum as temporary lube. He still had some coconut oil mixed in his palm, but it wasn’t enough. He wanted _more._ “Please…” he added in that tone that usually drove his boyfriends wild.

The chef ended the clip and promised to show the others later. If he did it now, Genesis would blow up his phone before cutting his day short to have his wicked way with Cloud. Angeal wanted to first cherish this rare moment with the blond before he had to fight for his alone time. He awkwardly stepped out of his pants and kicked them to the side, walking over to the other set of drawers to find a spare towel.

Cloud panicked at first, wondering if it was over before he got his orgasm, but a wet towel was dropped in his lap, causing him to shudder when it landed on his hard cock. “Oh…”

“What? You thought I would go back to cutting fruit without fucking you?”

Once he finished wiping his face, bright blue eyes lingered on Angeal’s still-hard cock. He remembered that this man was blessed with a lot of gifts. “Nope.”

Shortly after, Cloud’s glasses were safely placed on the kitchen counter. Angeal asked him to rest his elbows on the island surface with his legs spread. He was sad about telling him to add his shirt to the pile of clothes, yet a naked Cloud made it all the more enjoyable as he stared at that delicious round ass. “Gods, you’re beautiful,” he blurted out before approaching him.

Cloud gasped when a hard cock pressed against the cleft of his ass. He rocked his hips, dropping hints that he wanted it making a mess out of him. “Hn, yes…”

The chef reached next to him and picked up a piece of fruit sitting on a bowl of ice. He ran it down Cloud’s back, smiling at the high-pitched moan coming from that dangerous mouth. “I have an idea.” He leaned down and whispered in his ear, “Close your eyes. I promise it will feel ten times better.”

He quickly did as instructed and arched his back when cold fingertips went lower, all the way down to the base of his spine. “Haa…” he shivered from Angeal’s body heat contrasting with cold sensations on his sensitive spot. Goosebumps formed on his skin the longer he kept his eyes closed.

Angeal left the fruit on his back to rub coconut oil all over his palms. He then wrapped a hand around the blond’s cock, smiling again at the cute moan. He used his other free hand to bring the fruit to his boyfriend’s lips. “Your reward.”

Cloud thought of a million snarky comebacks, but he was too distracted by Angeal’s ministrations to vocalize his pride. He ate the fruit once it slipped into his mouth and tasted raspberry. “Mm.”

The chef told him to keep his eyes closed, wishing he had a blindfold. “If it’s too much, let me know.”

He nodded and licked his upper lip. A loud groan escaped his mouth once Angeal started stroking his cock again. “Make me come…”

“Shh,” Angeal kissed the middle of his back. “Don’t rush it.”

Cloud dug his fingers on the surface, careful not to knock over the plates and bowls of food he remembered seeing earlier.

“Another idea: don’t knock over the dishes.”

The blond bit his bottom lip and held still. The last thing he wanted to do was ruin a sexy moment with his clumsiness. He heard a chuckle from behind and said, “Wh-What?”

“That was actually a joke.”

With a pout, Cloud opened his eyes and glared back at him. “Don’t make me call you Seph.” That would be something _he’d_ do since he’s such a stickler with his stuff.

“You can, but I doubt that’s the name you’ll be shouting in a few minutes.” He emphasized his point by moving his hand from Cloud’s cock to his entrance. “Close your eyes and look ahead.”

He did as such once again and gasped when a finger slid inside. “Ah, Angeal!”

_Told you._ Angeal reached over to pick a small peach slice and trailed it down Cloud’s chest. He circled it around his nipple, knowing Cloud’s body from memory, and carefully watched back muscles twitch from his teasing. “Easy, Cloud.”

“Hn!” he rocked his hips in time with Angeal’s finger. “Fuck me! Please!”

“Do I need to gag you?” He shoved his fingers holding the fruit in his mouth.

“Mmph!” Cloud tried not to bite down when another finger was added in his ass. Being teased from both mouth and ass was enough to drive him wild. He tried to enjoy peach juice landing on his tongue, but he was too busy trying not to come from Angeal’s fingers.

“Breathe,” the chef whispered in his ear. He slowed his movements to help the blond calm down.

Cloud took steady, even breaths through his nostrils and kept his eyes shut. Chills ran up and down his spine and he finally began to understand what Angeal meant about enjoying sex before it ended. His mind and body became overwhelmed, but not to the point where it was too much. Instead, he welcomed the new sensations that promised incredible pleasure.

Angeal noticed the shift in Cloud’s breathing and moved his fingers a little faster, carefully watching tense shoulders relax even more. He refused to bump his prostate this soon in fear of ruining their special session. Perhaps Cloud found that particular endorphin headspace now that he’s calmer. “You okay?” He kissed his shoulder.

“Mm,” juice dripped down his chin.

He could simply turn Cloud around and see that expression, but instead, he went with the theme of not being able to see everything. After all, this was an introduction to creative foreplay.

The blond sighed as fingers prepared him for something mind-blowing. Angeal’s cock was the best part of sex, but playing with fruit was a new and enjoyable thing. _I like it._

Angeal withdrew his fingers from both ends. He murmured that he was preparing himself and rubbed more oil on his cock. Once he was ready, he spread Cloud’s ass cheeks apart and nudged that entrance with the head of his cock. “Ready?” At the quiet nod and the blond shifting his stance a little, Angeal slowly pushed inside, gritting his teeth when tight heat welcomed him. “Cloud…”

The blond whimpered at the painful stretch, back arching as he tried to adjust to Angeal’s size. Gods, he took Seph just fine last time, what made this man any different when they were about the same size?

“Relax.”

He let out a heavy sigh, surprised that he held his breath this entire time. He felt pleasure moments later and soon realized that he was just too tense. “Angeal!”

The chef was halfway in and ran his hands up pale skin. “Gods, you’re tight.” Maybe he should have prepared him a little longer.

“It’s perfect,” Cloud answered as he spread his legs even further. “Just been a while.”

“Let me know if I’m hurting you.”

He huffed and moved his hips, hoping that his boyfriend would take the hint. He was fine now because he remembered how to breathe. All he wanted was a hard fucking. “Just do it!”

Angeal grabbed his hips and slowly pulled out. At the pitiful whine coming from the blond, he slowly pushed back inside. The Mountain Nymph will learn to enjoy sex without it always being rough. “I’m controlling this.”

“Ang—!” Somehow, he kept his eyes closed despite feeling so damn good. “Fuck me! Fuck me! Oh gods, please!”

No matter how many times he will beg, Angeal would not succumb to his lust and drill him on this kitchen island. That can be saved for another day. “Cloud,” he sighed as he slowly moved in and out of the blond. “Focus on… pleasure, not… when it ends…”

That huge cock should be punishing him, not caressing him. Angeal completely wasted his talents over some romantic bullshit. Cloud wanted it _rough_ like usual! Before he rose from the kitchen island, Angeal’s hands pushed him back down. Those same hands laced with his and held him in place. Cloud felt a broad chest press against his back, but not too much to where he was uncomfortable. “What—”

“Focus,” he repeated, careful not to increase his pace. Typically, when Cloud acted like a brat, he’d go faster. But today was not about to be the same as before.

The blond opened his mouth to cuss him out, but all that came out was a moan when Angeal’s cock lightly bumped his prostate. “More…”

He pushed all the way inside until his balls touched Cloud’s ass. Angeal moaned and circled his hips, giving the blond every bit of satisfaction he deserved. Both their moans increased in volume as he did it again, and again, and _again._

“Fffuuck!” Cloud cried. He tried to move his body in synch with Angeal’s thrusts, but he was pinned in place and only able to feel this man’s cock do things to him that he never thought possible. Maybe it was because his eyes stayed closed, making him rely on his other senses. The smell of fruit wafted his nostrils. His hard nipples brushed against the cold surface of the kitchen island, while Angeal’s body heat made his back begin to sweat. Soft groans in his ear sent sparks of lust down his body, coaxing a deep need to feel _everything_.

Angeal’s breath hitched when Cloud’s ass clenched around him. He increased his pace, only so slightly that altered the blond’s pitch. He pressed his nose against Cloud’s neck and groaned at the thought that this wasn’t their usual rough fucking. He was able to enjoy Cloud’s body to the fullest and hoped the blond felt the same.

“I’m…” Cloud didn’t want this to end. Fuck his stamina; fuck his body. He wanted this to last forever. But this cock—Angeal’s cock—grazed his prostate and tore another loud moan from his lips.

Angeal chuckled against soft skin and said, “It’s okay.”

Cloud choked back his cries when he had the biggest, deepest orgasm that rendered his body completely stiff. He didn’t think this was possible, he wondered if this was just a dry orgasm—but he felt hot cum splash on his feet and knew this was very much real. “Ange!”

The chef let out a low groan when Cloud’s ass tightened even further around his cock. He squeezed trembling fingers as he thrusted a few more times before he came inside the blond. “Cloud.” That wet sound from his movements told him that he too came _hard_.

They weren’t sure how much time passed since they began. All they could do at the moment was listen to each other’s heavy breathing while enjoying the afterglow of amazing sex. Cloud murmured something and Angeal pulled out for him to turn around. Those baby blues were glazed over with fleeting lust as he smiled at his boyfriend and slowly bit into an apple slice. The chef was surprised that Cloud managed to steal another one without him noticing.

“Why didn’t you feed me these?” the blond quietly asked.

“Because then you would complain about being hungry, you big dumbapple.”

Cloud snorted and pulled him down for a kiss, feeling the familiar butterflies in his stomach.

_I..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I totally blushed when I wrote this chapter. Angeal is just.... <3


	4. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This month will be busy for me so I will go on and post this. Didn't have time to edit so I apologize if the flow is weird lol.

Aerith couldn’t stop grinning at Cloud as he stretched across the bar on his stomach, groaning every time he instinctively rolled over and put too much pressure on his ass. “Given your level of pain, I assume Angeal was the one to do the deed, yes?”

Cloud nodded and rested his head on his crossed arms. He made a mental note to stop being a mess whenever one of his boyfriends offered sex. He kept forgetting to restock on that magic ointment that numbed all pain for hours. “Yeah ‘cuz I’m still kinda mad at Seph.” He caught them up on his life, making sure to leave out Gen’s bad habit.

Tifa silently listened while she tidied up Seventh Heaven. She tried to tell Cloud to get off the bar, but he complained about his ass being too sore to do anything. “Well, he’s right you know.”

“I knew you would take his side before I even said anything,” he said with a pout.

“Yes, because I’ve always been the voice of reason for you.” However, her words never stick to his brain; but at some point, she finally got through to him since he’s still dating the same men for almost a year now.

“Ugh, I dunno why I thought you would understand me more.”

“I understand both sides, but you have to remember that your identity will be different to the world.”

Aerith said, “Cloud, you’re married to Seph. Anything you do will affect him as well.”

“Yeah, yeah, reputation and all that dumb shit.” Gods, he was not in the mood to hear the same crap again.

“Do you want to put him in the same place Denise tried to do?”

That made him turn to her with a frown. “I can’t believe you just said that.”

“Nobody knows about your multiple boyfriends besides a select few. How would the media handle taking candid shots of you with your other boyfriends? They’ll think you’re cheating until one of you clarifies the situation. Then someone will do some digging and bring up Genesis and Angeal’s pasts in sector eight. It’ll be just like what Tifa’s Evil Twin tried to do.”

Tifa glared at her. “Stop calling her my twin! It’s disturbing.” And forever horrifying that some rich guy’s obsession over her late mother turned into this clusterfuck with her life along with Cloud’s.

“What was Gen’s nickname for her again? Wicked Witch?”

“Wicked Witch of the Rich,” Cloud reiterated, carefully taking his friend’s short speech to heart.

“Hmm, I’ll just call her Evil Twin.” Ignoring the pointed look from her girlfriend, Aerith said, “But Cloud, can you at least promise us that you will work on your bad habits? It’s great not getting a call from you at three in the morning.” It was also nice to be able to sleep at night knowing Cloud was safe with his boyfriends, and not out wandering around another sector trying to find the train station.

He definitely remembered the constant fear after leaving a stranger’s apartment and having to navigate his way back from an unknown part of Midgar. “…”

“Anyway, my birthday is next month and I hope that we can have fun without worrying about you.” Her birthday party at one of the local clubs ended early when Cloud disappeared with some guy… _again_. Maybe she could finally get shitfaced drunk and not have to think about her best friend alone with a stranger. She made that mistake once with that Luke guy, but never again…

“Wait, you have a birthday idea?”

“I want something badass!”

Tifa said, “Aer, you know that not all of us can afford a week in Costa, or Gold Saucer…” Last year’s spring break trip was perfect because they saved enough money for an entire year.

“Party pooper!” She exclaimed with a pout.

Cloud asked, “So what did you want to do other than break people’s bank accounts?”

“I dunno. I wanna do something crazy before Bossman constantly drags me around in his fancy car and we’re back to the clinic schedule or something.” Aerith _loved_ in-house calls because she didn’t have to spend a hundred hours a day at the clinic. She only came to the office about twice a week and the rest were spent staring at rich people’s castles in Heaven’s Gate.

“Oh yeah, how are the other nurses taking the news of you being the Chosen One?”

“They hate me.”

His eyes widened. “Really?!”

“One of them insisted I was fucking Seph. I told her to stop projecting her sexual fantasies out on me, and I added that my perfect personality is what keeps me employed.” She began counting. “Plus my perfect grades, and my raving reviews from the clients, and the fact that I’m high demand whenever I’m training new nurses in hospitals…” _Godsdamn, I am incredible!_

Cloud snickered. “You sound like Zack.” He still hasn’t stopped talking about the Dean’s List.

“Hey, I think everyone deserves bragging rights.” The brunette rested her head on Cloud’s back. She felt him tense and slapped his ass. “It’s just me, silly!”

“Ow!” he shouted. “I told you I’m in pain!”

“Hm, speaking of that, did you really tell Angeal that he was your first bedmate when technically it was Tifa?”

“ _First_ of all,” Tifa quickly said, “Cloud and I have made a pact to never bring up our romantic past ever again.” Though, it was weird that it happened barely five years ago—when it felt like ages since she last slept with a man. Too bad her dad couldn’t see beyond that…

“I’m just glad I could finally tell him that,” Cloud whispered with a small smile on his face.

“I’m really happy you’re opening up to them more,” Aerith said. “I feel like that’s what you needed to rekindle the passion, or whatever.” She had a feeling something happened in Junon because the timing was a bit too coincidental. Cloud wasn’t a stranger to sex, and for him to blame his medication just… didn’t seem like that was his only problem. She knew his mental health could easily affect his decisions since he used alcohol to wipe away his anxiety over approaching others; but it was unlike him to deny Genesis. Last time he did that, he broke it off with them.

“Honestly, I think so too because the second I said that to him, he kissed me and then… yeah…” He went quiet as his mind began to recall what happened this morning. Angeal was so good with his huge dick and— “Thanks for the phone idea by the way.”

She lifted her head. “Phone idea?” Before he could reply, she smirked. “Well, well, if you need any other creative ideas, hit me up!”

He scoffed. “Unless you and Tifa are experts in kinky stuff, then thanks for the offer. I’m pretty good at bein’ creative though.”

“By the way,” Tifa said as she placed the stack of glasses behind the bar, “have you used the gifts we got you from Saucer?”

“Zack said they were stupid.” He will never forget that day when his boyfriend came over to help him finish packing, and teased him about the ‘gag gifts (pun intended) meant for vanilla kinksters’—whatever the hell that meant.

“That’s the point,” she sighed and dropped the bar towel on the back counter. “Back then, we weren’t even sure you would stay with your boyfriends, or that they were—um—heavily involved in that lifestyle.”

“I mean, I’ve done a couple of things, but not to where certain people want me to be.” He realized that every time he tested the waters with them, something bad happened afterwards. First, he was terrified of pissing off Gen after learning about his past. Then he tried to break it off with them after he had a really good night with Zack and Seph. And before all of that began… _Luke_ happened.

“I’m sure they know you aren’t at their level.” Cloud’s biggest personality flaw was that he’s a giant people-pleaser. Often times, he rushed things in order to avoid arguments, when they mostly harmed his mental health. “Remember that you’re still the newest one of the fivesome.”

The front door to the bar opened and a dark-haired man walked inside while staring at his cellphone. Tifa shouted before he could say anything, “We’re closed!”

“The door was unlocked,” he replied before looking away from his phone screen, his brown eyes landing on the beautiful blond sprawled out on the bar. _Whoa…_

“Did you not read the damn sign?”

“I wanted a drink…” he ran his hand through messy brown hair, never taking his eyes off the mysterious blond.

Aerith found it so funny that this stranger didn’t pay much attention to the two beautiful women in the room, but instead honed in on the one guy. _I see…_

Tifa pointed at the sign behind him. “Bar hours are posted right there.”

“Can’t I just have one drink?” He finally gave her his attention.

“Dude,” Aerith said, “she said it’s closed. Come back in a few hours!”

“How about soda?”

Tifa wished she was the owner of this dead-end dump, because this guy was being stupid and she was ready to kick his ass out. However, the manager said that she couldn’t do that unless they ‘displayed aggression.’ “Okay then.”

Aerith and Cloud glanced at her in shock. It was Cloud who slowly sat up and hopped off the bar. “Uh…”

The man sat on one of the bar stools closest to Cloud and fought not to stare too hard at him. He just got out of a nasty breakup and didn’t want to seem desperate. However, all of his worries vanished each time he snuck a glance at the pretty boy. _Damn, it’s only been a week!_

Cloud blinked at him when he caught the lingering stares and nervous fidgeting. If he wasn’t mistaken, this guy wanted to say something. “You okay?”

“Y-Yeah!” he said a little too loud for his liking. “I just had a rough morning, that’s all.”

“I know that feeling all too well.” He tried not to rub his ass.

Aerith quietly watched the two, quirking a brow when Cloud failed to realize what was happening.

“You from around here?” the guy asked.

“Why? Pick up my accent?”

“Yeah. You sound like you finished grooming chocobos.”

Cloud couldn’t help but laugh at the joke. “Very funny. Yes, I _am_ from a small town far from here.”

Before the stranger replied, a glass was set in front of him. “Hey! This isn’t soda!”

“Club soda.” Tifa placed her hands on her hips. “Now get out.”

With a sigh, the guy stood and pocketed his phone. “Fine, but I’m taking this glass with me.”

“Suit yourself.” When the stranger left with his drink, Tifa glared at Cloud and whispered, “Really?”

“What?”

Aerith rested her head in her hand. “How sad. That elevator does not go up to the top floor.”

“Huh?” he glanced back and forth between them.

Tifa let out another huff. “Cloud, you have four boyfriends and you mean to tell me that you _still_ don’t know when a guy wants you?”

“Want me?” He shook his head. “No way! He was just being friendly!”

Aerith snorted. “He didn’t even give us a second look. He saw you and was ready to get your number.” There were times where she envied Cloud’s beauty.

“Whatever. You two are just antsy because I’m married.”

“Married with three boyfriends, to be exact.”

Cloud rolled his eyes. “Aerith, please. You’re overthinking every interaction now.”

Tifa almost said, ‘Remember who you are,’ but decided against it. She didn’t want to sound insensitive. Instead she said, “Listen. We’re practically family so we have to look out for each other. You don’t notice things when you’re on the front lines.”

“Fine, but I know the difference between someone being friendly versus horny.” He looked at the clock on the wall. “Anyways, I need to head back ‘cuz I need to run some errands before I head home.”

“Are you going to talk to Seph?” Aerith asked.

“Yeah, because you actually explained it a lot better than he did,” he scratched the back of his head.

“Seph is matter-of-fact. You should know by now that ninety percent of what he says is for your own good.” It took her about a few months to realize that he just didn’t have the emotional intelligence to choose his words carefully.

“I… really am married to this guy, huh?” Cloud realized that he left the wedding ring in Gen and Ange’s bedroom. Seph said he was cool with him not wearing it since they haven’t gone public yet.

Once he left the bar after saying his goodbyes, he bumped into someone standing in the middle of the street. After Cloud apologized, he recognized the man to be the stranger from earlier. “Oh…”

“Sorry, I was hoping to catch you when your older sisters weren’t around.”

The blond glanced back at the bar. “Sorry about that. I’ve been through a lot so they are very overprotective of me.”

The man slowly nodded and waved his phone. “Do you mind if we exchange numbers? I just moved here a few months ago and I’m always looking for friends.”

Cloud was hesitant at first, especially after what the girls just told him. But this guy seemed rather genuine compared to the others who would have made sexual remarks by now. Besides, he was rather lacking in the friendship department. Ever since he met Zack, he dropped off the radar from his college friends. “Uh, sure.”

The man asked, “What’s your name?”

“I’m Cloud.” He pulled out his cellphone. “And yours?”

“Name’s Kunsel. Hope we get to hang out soon.”

* * *

“Oh Mr. Hewley?” Genesis began with a giant fake smile. He replayed the video of Cloud licking cum from his face until his anger finally won over his lust of seeing his dear heart be the slut that he remembered. “Would you care to explain how you managed to fuck our Mountain Nymph, when I’ve spent an _entire_ holiday trying to arouse him?

Angeal cautiously watched him along with Zack, who sat on the kitchen floor pouting over the fact that he too couldn’t get far with Cloud yesterday. _Both of you are being overdramatic._ “Well, we talked a bit and then I kissed him.”

“And?” Genesis batted his eyelashes at him while still forcing a smile. He had one hand gripping the edge of the kitchen island to the point that his knuckles turned white.

“… And we fucked.”

He chuckled and brushed his hair from his face. He stopped cutting it soon after Cloud said longer hair suited him. “Why did I think that leaving you alone with a cute blond was a good idea?”

“Why are you so pissed when I’m dating him too?”

_Because I need something to be mad about._ He also tried to interrogate Zack to see if Cloud told him anything about Junon. Zack was harder to read because he picked up a few Sephiroth habits where he acted uninterested. Eventually, _someone_ will spill about what really happened in that stupid gentrified town. “It can’t be that easy. You mean to tell me that you only kissed him and he’s suddenly licking your cum off his face?”

Meanwhile, Zack watched the video on his phone for the umpteenth time and let out a long sigh. Oh, how he missed his slutty Cloudy doing things that could make a porn start blush. “That’s not fair…”

The chef let out another annoyed sigh and said, “Look, you two should be glad that Cloud was in a mood.” And here they all thought it would be _months_ before he showed interest in sex again.

Genesis blinked at him in surprise when it finally clicked over what could have possibly sparked Cloud’s sex drive. This was timed right after he feared getting caught assisting with the hijacking. “What was it like?”

“Huh?”

“Sex with Cloud. Describe it.”

“Really, Gen?”

He raised his eyebrows, drumming his fingers on the kitchen island—the spot where Cloud had his first orgasm of the year. _A shame that I wasn’t the one to bless this marble craftsmanship from the northern continent._

Angeal ran a hand down his face and retold what happened, leaving out his personal conversation with Cloud. He told his boyfriends what they were allowed to hear— as some things he wanted to keep to himself. “And that’s how we both had orgasms to start our day.”

Zack laid down and let out another heavy sigh as he wanted to give Cloud a beautiful orgasm ever since he returned from the party. “It kinda sounds like he needs to learn about patience.” Or have his hands tied in order to avoid touching himself.

Genesis grinned. “My thoughts exactly.” That paired with Cloud’s fear of getting caught were enough to ignite that hidden spark. Angeal’s reputation as a ‘gentle Dominant’ was the perfect necessity for Cloud’s sexual reawakening. Most people would grow tired of his begging, but Angeal’s unrivaled patience was exactly what the blond needed.

Zack frowned. “Huh? I feel like you’re thinking about something—” Then it occurred to him where Genesis was going with his train of thought. “ _Oh_.”

Angeal shook his head. “He doesn’t like kink, remember?”

“Do you not recall him trying it out and _liking it_ before my failed birthday plans?”

“Yes. And do you not recall that each time he did, something bad happened?”

Zack fought very hard to keep his expression neutral. He remembered hearing about the horrible car thing with Luke before Cloud met them. And once again, Luke tried to fuck him over while Cloud pretended to be a woman. Although that was more for his mother’s sake, the incident may have completely ruined their chance of having more fun with Cloud in cute clothes. Genesis already suspected something, but hopefully Cloud’s shift in his sexual tastes was enough to distract him. “Ange’s right on that, Gen. Remember what happened after you and Seph showed him the ropes—pun intended? And then after coming over to Seph’s old place, he ended it with us…” Gods, Denise and Luke ruined _everything_.

He waved a hand in a dismissive gesture. “I think you two should reconsider. Cloud was also used to having quick orgasms and rough sex. Angeal showed him a taste of what sex is truly like with a simple remedy of patience. We need to train his body, and I believe the best way to do that is through certain kinky elements.”

“It’s kinda… _bad_ that we spent an entire year giving Cloud what he wanted, but not what he needed.” Zack rolled over and sat up. He was fine with training Cloud, but only if everyone was on board with getting involved with kink again, especially the one person who would benefit the most out of it.

Angeal shrugged. “Hard to resist him in the midst of it all.”

“This will be a fun conversation,” the professor said before turning around and smirking at Sephiroth standing near the entrance. “Good afternoon, doctor.”

He gave him a suspicious look. “What’s with you?”

“Oh you know… Cloud’s sex drive coming back put me in better spirits.”

“Hmph.” He looked at Angeal. “Quite a treat.”

Angeal asked Cloud if he could share it with the others. The blond hesitated at first but nervously allowed him to only send it to their boyfriends. “You’re welcome.”

“Well?” Genesis sauntered over to the man wearing all black and rested a hand on his shoulder. “What do you think if I said that we should introduce our Mountain Nymph back into the BDSM world, hm?”

Sephiroth shook his head. “That is not wise.”

“Why?”

“After everything that went wrong, do you think we should go down that path again?”

“Not you too!” he dropped his hand. “I can’t even get _one_ person to agree with my brilliant idea!”

Zack said, “I think we should wait until he’s adjusted to his new job and new home before we dump another—uh—unique lifestyle on him.”

Sephiroth nodded. “Agreed.”

Genesis let out a groan. “Fine, whatever. But don’t think I won’t forget.”

“Seph,” Angeal said, “has Reeve said anything about his start date?”

“He decided to wait until Roland announces his retirement.” There was a collective silence all around him, and ignored their somber expressions to ask, “Where is Cloud anyway?”

“Hanging with the ladies,” Zack answered with a scratch of his head. “But, uh, when Roland steps down, it’s not gonna be the same, will it?”

“We had this conversation before.”

“I know, but I guess I wanna hear somethin’ different for a change.”

The doctor shook his head and turned around. “You all agreed to this.” He didn’t see the annoyed looks from Genesis and Angeal as he walked down the hallway. Sephiroth was not in the mood to use the same words over and over again. He dated smart men, so why were they upset over something trivial when nothing will change among them?

As the day flew by, Sephiroth migrated from his office to the media room. He typed away on his laptop with a blanket wrapped around him. Although the change of scenery helped a tiny bit, typing his reports was still a daunting task. The blessed winter break was exactly what he needed after last year, but he still had a million things to accomplish now that he left the clinic. Hojo was rather upset over his sudden departure, but once an explanation emphasized how his job change would help the Crescent family, he seemed much more complacent. Sephiroth learned early in life that the only way to please that man was if he justified how it would benefit the family name. Anything he did must be of use to his father in some way, or else his life decisions were for nothing. When he also informed Hojo that he married Cloud, there was no change in voice pitch or expression. Instead, he received a, “As long as it is someone of use to me, then I do not care.”

Although Cloud won’t get the entire inheritance, whatever the percentage Roland settled for would be enough to invest for future expansion of his company. Now all he had to do was deal with Rufus. He had a feeling that spoiled brat won’t stay quiet for long…

There was a knock at the door and Sephiroth glanced away from his monitor to find Cloud staring back at him. He wore a simple oversized shirt—probably Angeal’s—and a pair of pajama pants—probably Zack’s. Sephiroth was a tiny bit jealous that Cloud hasn’t stolen his clothes just yet. Genesis already took the liberty of taking his robes, but to also see the petite blond before him wearing one of his shirts would be most pleasing to him. Though, he would never admit it out loud.

The two looked at each other in long silence while the television played a commercial. Neither one paid attention to the woman on the screen advertising a product. Cloud rubbed his arm and broke his gaze with a sigh, not sure on what to say to his husband. He rehearsed his lines several times on the train, but the second he returned home, he forgot it all. His boyfriends distracted him long enough to shake off his anxiety. Genesis greeted him first with a lingering kiss, and the blond had a feeling he was excited after seeing that video Angeal sent them. _Gods, why did I agree to that?_

“Good evening, Cloud.”

He jumped and let out a shaky breath. “H-Hey…”

“Is there something you need?”

“…For you to forgive me.”

“Beg pardon?”

Cloud approached him and knelt on the cushion of the corner sofa. “I’m sorry.”

After those two words were whispered to him, the doctor closed his laptop and set it aside, then beckoned Cloud to sit in his lap. The blond snuggled against his chest, causing Sephiroth to chuckle and toss the blanket around him. Cloud lifted his head with a small smile and gave him a quick kiss on the lips— but Sephiroth kept kissing him back again, and again, and _again_. Eventually their chaste kisses turned into heated exchanges, and Cloud quietly moaned when a tongue caressed his mouth. He broke away first with a heavy sigh and gazed into green eyes illuminating brightly at him. Cloud was told that Seph’s eyes glowed often whenever he was around him, but he didn’t really pay it much attention until just now—because they weren’t glowing a few minutes ago.

“Hmph,” the doctor nuzzled his hair, “once again, I thought I should be the one to apologize.”

“Aerith explained it a lot better, actually. I soon realized that I was being a brat again…” he trailed off and pressed his cheek against soft silk.

“As long as you understood my intentions, then I am satisfied.” Sephiroth wrapped his arms around Cloud, pulling the blanket tighter around them.

“I wanna make this work, but with the way you spoke yesterday, I’m worried that we can’t be the fivesome we’ve tried so hard to be.” After everything that happened—after having several mental breakdowns over getting involved with the same group of men again, who turned out to be too good for him— Cloud prayed to every higher power that he could have a normal relationship for once. But what exactly _is_ normal when it came to polyamory?

He shook his head. “I tend to overthink things, according to everyone else.” Zack truly helped him unwind and appreciate life when they started their relationship. “However, when I sense potential outcomes, I cannot ignore my intuition.”

“Yeah, but I think you should let it play out instead of trying to be twelve steps ahead of everything. You can’t predict the future, no matter how smart you are.”

Sephiroth smiled. “People say that too.”

“You’re so stubborn.” The second he said that, he began to see why they were considered too much alike. _Wild._

“Regardless, I will try to let our lives continue as is, but I do ask that you tone it down whenever you’re alone with one of us.”

Cloud glared up at him. “Just me, huh?”

“May I remind you of a certain video that was sent to me earlier today?”

“May I remind you _who_ recorded the video?”

“Yes, and you don’t realize your effect on us.” Or other people. “You tend to be rather pushy when we turn you down.”

“Wait, really?!” Then he frowned and thought about his past interactions with them. Now that he thought about it, he’s usually initiating sex. But there were a few times where his boyfriends would make the first move. However, his demanding nature overshadowed the number of times they took charge, especially when he was drunk. “Oh…”

“It’s alright. I like that side of you because your personality tests my willpower.” That failed every time.

“I must be doing something right because you married me the second my life was in danger.” Saying it out loud almost made him blush. “You didn’t marry Zack that time either.”

“His life wasn’t threatened by a Shin-Ra, or a Marshall.”

The blond then asked, “Would you marry him if we switched places?”

“Yes,” Sephiroth quickly replied with a nod. “Isn’t that what a boyfriend is supposed to do?”

“Rich people have the weirdest ideas when it comes to romance.”

“Oh?” He grabbed Cloud’s chin and tilted his head back. “Then what do you suggest I do that meets your standards?”

Once again, he was reminded that he was married to the third richest man in the world. Seph could give him anything with the snap of his finger. That would be intimidating to many people, but Cloud found it kinda erotic to know that he could ask for whatever his heart wanted while playing with his other boyfriends. “I-I don’t think you should ask me that question.”

Sephiroth leaned closer, spotting the lust hidden beneath those baby blues. “Why not?”

“B-Because…” _I won’t like my answer._

He shoved his thumb between soft lips. “I don’t like waiting for an answer to a simple question, Cloud.”

“I don’t…” he yanked the finger out of his mouth, “want to sound greedy.”

“But clearly you want something.” He licked his wet thumb and smirked at the sound of a stifled gasp.

It almost sounded as if he expected a confession of some sort. “Is this about the video?”

“Yes. Did you and Angeal have sex afterwards?”

“Y-Yeah. Why?”

Now he understood why Genesis suddenly brought up the idea of BDSM. “Hm, I think that’s a good thing. I was worried that we’d have to come up with another story about your sex drive plummeting after Junon.” The medications were a giant contributor, but not to the extent where Cloud practically _feared_ sex after Luke’s disgusting habits. Angeal probably taught Cloud about trust and patience, which is something Cloud wasn’t used to during intercourse. However, if they do decide to incorporate kink in the bedroom, Cloud would be much more comfortable with his body’s wants and needs, instead of worrying about not having his orgasm.

“Gen already interrogated me.”

The doctor sighed and leaned back on the couch. “I figured he would.”

“I don’t like hiding things from him, Seph. If he finds out, he will be mega pissed at us.”

“I suspect he would be angrier at me— because I didn’t kill Luke when I had the chance.”

Cloud bit his bottom lip. He wanted to shout, _why didn’t you do it,_ but knew the answer would be that it would fuck up everything they’ve worked hard to avoid. Sephiroth would be labeled as a killer, even though most people want an excuse to dig up dirt on the world’s most mysterious man. “…”

“However, I do find it interesting that you were in a mood since you told Genesis that you loved him.”

That made him stare into his green eyes that were no longer glowing. Zack must have told him when they all went to bed. “Is that a bad thing?”

“I believe that you are becoming much more comfortable around us. The healthier your mind,” he brushed back soft, golden strands, “the healthier your body as well.”

He tried not to shiver when his voice pitch lowered at the word ‘body.’ “Is this medical advice from a doctor, or common knowledge?”

“It’s me expressing my thoughts as your husband, nothing more.”

Cloud wished right then and there that his ass wasn’t still sore or else he’d probably ask for sex. There were plenty of other ways to have sex without penetration, but he didn’t trust himself just yet to be satisfied with that alone.

“Tomorrow night.”

He blinked. “Huh?”

“I’ll set aside time for you tomorrow night.”

“Uh, how did you—”

Sephiroth’s lips curled into a small grin. “It’s written all over your face, Cloud.”

The blond rubbed the back of his neck, trying not to let his embarrassment show. “Oh, okay.”

With the semester starting soon, they needed to form a schedule involving Cloud. It was ten times easier to continue making him the focus, instead of having everyone mix around whenever they saw fit. However, with four men already as established couples, there had to be some balance between the somewhat newcomer and their quality time together. Gods, this will be tricky.


	5. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi. Sex scene in third part.

_Hey, boo. Miss u… :(_

Zack squinted at the message while drying his hair. At first, he thought some crazy woman from his past finally found him, but something about this text seemed all too familiar. It came from a private number, meaning that it was probably none other than—

He glanced at the sleeping blond in the bed before walking over to the giant walk-in closet and closed the door behind him. Sephiroth was already gone for the day, leaving him alone with his cute Cloudy. However, he needed to prepare for classes in the coming weeks because his schedule was even more brutal than last semester. At this rate, he may be as busy as Seph…

_Reno?? What the fuck, man?_

_Yo. How’s it goin’?_

_Uhh, cool I guess… but wtf why are you texting me out of the blue? Did something happen???_

_Old man Shin-Ra is dead, yo._

Zack yelled, “WHAT?!” then slammed a hand over his mouth. He turned towards the door, hoping Cloud didn’t wake up from his outburst. _DUDE?! WHAT?!_ Seph told him that it would happen, but not this fucking soon.

_Nobody knows yet except us Turks and Rufus._

_Then why the hell are you telling me?? Won’t that get you killed for disobeying orders?!_

_Because I like you. And two, Cloud was name-dropped earlier._

Fuck. He’s warning him again. _Reno, what is going on? Please don’t tell me Rufus will go after Cloud?!_ Gods, and here he thought Cloud marrying Seph would give him automatic protection, not get dragged into another rich mob war.

_Rufus hasn’t married Denise yet because she’s had three assassination attempts since we left Junon._

_What does this have to do with Cloud though? He’s only getting a part of the inheritance, right? Did the Marshall head change his mind or something?_

_Man, listen… We traced the last assassin’s location back to Cloud’s old apartment. He had photos of blondie hanging on his wall, yo._

Zack took a deep breath and let it out slowly, feeling his heart thud against his chest. How the fuck did they miss that?! Was it the creepy neighbor or something? But he was always weird towards Cloud and Tifa since they moved there a few years ago. There’s no way he’d have a reason to kill him all of the sudden. _Reno, what… is going on?_

_I can’t say just yet because it’s still under investigation. We think someone is after the Marshall siblings, not just Denise._

_But how were they able to know about Cloud’s relationship when he hasn’t gone public with Seph yet?_

_In my world, I’ve learned that the closest allies ended up being the worst enemies._

He tried to think of people in his social circle, but nobody raised a red flag. Nobody in the fivesome was crazy enough to do something like that. The only people outside the circle who knew about Cloud weren’t crazy either. Although he didn’t know much about Reeve, he definitely remembered Seph trusting him with his life; and Seph wasn’t the type of person to blindly trust someone. Reeve did work closely with the Shin-Ras, however, but he wouldn’t get any benefit out of killing Cloud and Denise… Was Reno using another stupid scare tactic to make them all paranoid again? _Listen, I’m not going to spend the rest of my life thinking someone I’m close to is after Cloud. These are all Denise’s problems, not ours, so keep Cloud out of this._

_Good luck trying to dodge this, yo. Sephiroth is meeting with our new Prez as we speak._

Oh… That’s why Seph looked nervous before he left home. Zack came back from the gym asking Seph if he was okay. He merely shook his head and rushed out the door. _You’re telling me all of this because he will keep it to himself, yeah?_

_Yuuup. Outside of our conversation, he will be the first to know because of what we found._

Which also meant that he will keep blaming himself for dragging Cloud into his problems. He already said that he hated himself for not dealing with Denise a long time ago, but he stopped complaining about it after he heard all of his boyfriends tell him that he couldn’t control everything that went wrong in his life. _How is Denise anyway?_

_A complete one-eighty, yo. Ever since she talked to Strait-laced Crescent, she’s been pretty likeable. I’m starting to see who she was before shit hit the fan._

Zack was absolutely speechless. She was insufferable from what he remembered, but Seph told him many times that he met the ‘wrong Denise.’ _Whatever. I regret asking._ 🙄

_My other boo is back with snacks. I’m gonna leave you my secret number in case you need to contact me._

_You say that, yet whenever I messaged you, it’d just go into the void, or won’t send._

_This is my legit number._ He left a strange sequence of numbers in the message. _And I’ll leave you with a parting message: Beware of the Harlowes._

* * *

Professor Rhapsodos stabbed his fork in his leftover lasagna while glaring out the window of the instructors’ break room. He took advantage of the winter break to get some work done in his office before the other annoying instructors arrived at the last minute. He was not in the mood to fight over the copy machine and complain about not having enough paper to print his syllabus. On top of that, he had several of the female staff ask if he wanted to go to dinner with them before classes started. Little did they know that he wasn’t stupid enough to waste their time believing they had a chance with him. Therefore, he turned them down, but of course they had a hard time accepting rejection.

At least his lunch tasted good.

Angeal’s impeccable cooking skills made him gain weight over the holidays again. Several of his tailored shirts didn’t fit properly, forcing him to see his new weight on the scale one early morning. Perhaps he should have listened to his darling when he kept snacking on homemade white chocolate pretzels. But that was the only time of the year Angeal made them, otherwise, he’d have to pick his other favorite store-bought yoghurt pretzels.

Either he woke up at ass dawn to go to the gym with his boyfriends, or wait until dance classes started at the end of this month. The latter was the obvious answer, but maybe he should do a little training to see if he still had his flexibility and endurance. After all, if he planned on showing off in front of his dear heart, he needed to make sure he wouldn’t embarrass himself in the process. After that traumatizing event with his heeled boots oh-so-many years ago, he would never let that memory go even after Angeal consoled him with a good fuck.

Sigh.

Several semi-familiar faces on the television screen caught his attention. He reached for the remote and unmuted it.

_“—The Harlowe Hotel chain is now open to the public starting today. After the infamous Shin-Ra Biennial Party showcased its elaborate architecture, many of the elite have already booked rooms as far as late summer. The mayor of Junon predicts that they will see a three-hundred percent increase in its tourism economy.”_

Genesis almost dropped his fork when he saw the camera scan the Harlowe family. Flashbacks of his encounters with them flooded his mind each time the camera landed on a sibling. Various eye colors and expressions reminded him that sometimes they were kind to him, but many times not so much. The second oldest son, Henry, was his only saving grace.

But even Henry had his flaws—a common trait among the wretched family.

“Where’s Luke…?” he whispered as he narrowed his eyes. That man was nowhere to be seen as the head of the family gave a speech on the podium. Only six of the Harlowe siblings were there, when there should be seven of them.

_“—Luke Harlowe, the heir to the hotel chain, will not be in appearance due to conflicting schedules.”_ The news anchor said over the speech.

“Hm,” he was no longer in the mood to finish his meal and closed the lid on top of the glass container. Funny how Stupid Luke was nowhere to be found on a very important day for the family. If he remembered correctly, Luke used to say that he would ‘get his ass beat’ if he missed an important meeting. It wasn’t like the Harlowe Head to schedule something else on top of a grand opening, especially if all of his children were there except Luke. That meant something else was going on—something that had to do with Junon.

_Cloud, what happened?_

His ringing cellphone distracted his train of thought. He quirked a brow and wondered if he now had some sort of psychic connection with his favorite blonde instead of just Angeal. “Hi, sweetness.”

“Again with the nicknames?” Cloud said on the line.

“Yes, sweet pea.”

“Gen…”

He sighed. “What is it, Cloud?”

“The dance instructor called me just now and asked if we wanted to do a quick meet and greet tomorrow, along with a tour of the school. I told him that I’d ask you before I say yes.”

Genesis grinned. “Well, you just gave me a reason to finish my work today so I don’t have to show up tomorrow.”

Cloud let out a small cheer. “Really?! I’m so glad because I’m tired of being stuck at home with no money…”

“Seph gave you that credit card.”

“Yeah and I haven’t used it since we went shopping because that’s not my money.”

“You’re supposed to be mini-me, not mini-Angeal.”

“I’m _not_ using his money, Gen!”

“Fine. But you need the right set of clothes to move freely.” He perked up at a thought. “Let’s spend the day together. We can go shopping.”

“Again, I am always cool with hanging out.”

“You mean _date_.”

“I thought dating was supposed to be romantic?”

“It doesn’t have to be.” Then he had another thought. “I noticed that you keep saying our alone time isn’t a date unless sex is involved.”

“Well, that’s what usually happens. There’s a romantic night out and then fucking…”

Oh, of _course_. Cloud wasn’t used to casual dates before he met them. “Dear heart, haven’t you enjoyed our company without it ending in sex?”

“Yeah, but I thought that was just hanging out.”

Genesis rubbed his forehead. “Goddess we have work to do with you.”

“What?”

“Never mind. Just call the instructor and tell him that I’m game.”

“Oh, and one more thing…” Cloud let out a shaky breath, “Tonight, Seph and I are gonna… you know…”

He smiled, wishing his cute boyfriend saw his expression. “I’m glad you two reconciled. Make-up sex can be quite euphoric.” Though he wondered how long it would take before they were back to arguing.

“Me too but I hope you aren’t mad that I’m gonna share a bed with him again.”

“You should be more excited that you have your sex drive back.”

“I definitely am, but I wanna make sure you’re okay with us alone together.”

“I have you to myself tomorrow so I can be patient.”

“Patient, huh?”

“Beg pardon?”

“You’ve changed. The old you would have gotten mad. In fact, I’m very surprised you haven’t gotten mad at Angeal.”

Genesis wanted to say that he definitely did get mad, but forced a laugh instead. _He doesn’t need to know that._ “Maybe I _have_ changed for the better,” he replied as a matter-of-fact. Though, the tiny Sephiroth-tone voice in his head added that he was full of shit.

“I’m glad. Zack and Ange said they were cool with it.”

_Which means Puppy will sleep with us tonight…_ Tempting. “Cloud, don’t worry about any of us getting jealous. We live together now.” That should bring them closer than ever before, right?

“Okay.”

“Anything else before I go back to pretending to work in my office?”

“I’m good, thanks.”

Before he ended the call, he glanced at the television again and asked, “One more thing. You wouldn’t… _hide_ anything from me, would you?”

“Huh? Why are you asking that?”

“Hm, it’s nothing. I’ll talk to you later. Love you.”

“… I love you too… I always will, Gen.” He sounded so sincere.

Genesis ended the call and drummed his fingers on the table while staring hard at the television.

Cloud didn’t answer the question.

What if his dear heart was harassed by that man and he didn’t want to bring it up for the sake of his mental health? After all, they did cross paths a couple of years ago according to Tifa. Genesis sensed that Luke did more than take him for a ride because why would Cloud suddenly forget a situation like that—unless he _wanted_ to forget. Stupid Luke did more than lock him in a car trunk, that he definitely knew. Now he did something else to Cloud in Junon, because why else did his mountain nymph’s sex drive just plummet afterwards?

_Medications my ass._

He scoffed and unlocked his phone. “If no one will tell me then I will have to do my own snooping.” There’s no way in hell Luke didn’t see through Cloud’s disguise.

Upon the fourth ring, a familiar voice asked, “What?”

“Hi Forrest, I need you to give me Henry’s number.” Forrest was close to Henry, much to Genesis’s disdain. Henry was the one who introduced 7Neves to a production company.

_If you love me, then you would be honest with me._

* * *

Sephiroth held a bottle of scented oil in his hand, carefully reading the ingredients to make sure nothing would trigger an allergic reaction from the pretty blond lounging across the bed. He tossed it towards Cloud, who clumsily caught it with a snort. Sephiroth then turned back around and rummaged through the shopping bag.

Today wasn’t a good day. He thought about having several cigarettes before he came home, but he also didn’t want to anger Zack when he promised that he would stop relying on tobacco to calm his nerves. Once again, he reminded himself that sex was a very healthy alternative, and that Cloud would be waiting for him after work.

But he didn’t work _at all_ today. In fact, he was now behind on his reports. Thank goodness he didn’t have house calls, or else he’d be super irritated in front of a client—or better yet, _Aerith._

After Rufus warned him that the drama wasn’t over, the doctor silently asked every god known to man what kind of karma did he accumulate over the past decade. The crap with Denise _ended_ , so why was he just told that someone else wanted Cloud? How in Gaia’s name did anybody catch wind of Cloud’s heritage when he was as tight-lipped as Denise? Rufus said he had several people in mind, but the last person on his list suggested a potential mole among the Turks. However, if Rufus knew about Cloud, then who’s to say someone else with close ties to the Shin-Ras heard the news?

Denise pissed off enough people these past two years, and part of the reason she became so unreasonable was all because of him. Over and over again he told himself that none of this would have happened if he just reconciled with her right after the breakup, instead of tossing the notion that she will simply vanish from his life forever.

_It’s not your fault, Seph._

“Seph?” Cloud’s voice interrupted.

He turned around to find the blond now kneeling on the edge of the bed. “Did you say something?”

A small frown formed on his face. Everyone has been rather weird today. It started when he woke to find Zack staring absentmindedly at the wall. Then he went into the kitchen and Angeal seemed preoccupied with something. Later that afternoon, his phone call with Genesis turned awkward when the questioning about Luke came up again. Did everyone eat something bad last night? “I asked you what we were gonna do first?”

Green eyes looked at the tote bag of random spa accessories. _Why the hell did I buy all of this?_ After he finished his meeting with Rufus, he decided to stop by one of the popular luxury boutiques and stocked up on a bunch of scented stuff with their outrageous claims to cure illnesses. He didn’t stay for long because the overwhelming fruity and floral scents made his nose burn. “I wanted to give you a massage.”

He glanced at the bag then back to him. “Are we chilling in the jacuzzi later or something?” When he found out that three of the bathrooms had a jacuzzi, he thought Seph bought a five-star hotel. This penthouse will take a long time getting used to after never stepping foot in anything fancy until just last year.

“I may have gotten carried away.” He stared at the elaborate box on the vanity containing various scented soaps. Maybe he should give all of this to Genesis.

Cloud looked at the bottle in his hand and sighed. “At least you didn’t buy overpriced lube. Then I’d really be worried about you.”

“Hmph. I always order in bulk anyway.”

“R-Right…” 

Sephiroth later tied his hair in a ponytail, catching the expression on Cloud’s face. Genesis and Angeal told him that Cloud loved his hair, and as he held the blond’s gaze while running fingers through silver strands, he finally began to let their words sink into his brain: _Cloud wants me._ He crawled onto the bed and asked him to lay down. “But first, remove your clothes.”

Cloud tensed and stared down at the shirt he stole from Zack. He didn’t understand why he felt self-conscious all of the sudden, but he didn’t move an inch when Seph knelt beside him. “…”

“It won’t be a good massage with clothes in the way.” He reached for a towel not far from where he sat and held it in front of him. “This can cover your genitals, if you so prefer.” 

“Promise you won’t stare at my scars?”

_Ah._ Sephiroth gave him a reassuring smile. “Of course.”

He undressed and quickly asked to have the towel over his butt. Cloud rested his head on crossed arms and said, “How’s this?”

“Perfect.”

For some reason, the way he said that almost made him shiver.

Sephiroth began his massage once he warmed his hands. He had a flashback to when Angeal was the one doing this exact thing that led to an unforgettable night. A small chuckle escaped as he squeezed Cloud’s shoulders.

The blond turned his head to the side. “What?”

“I was just thinking about the time Angeal did this to me.”

“Huh? When was that?”

“When you first got out of the hospital and spent time with Zack.” Then he frowned when he was reminded of the origins of Cloud’s scars. “I’m very sorry, Cloud.”

What is with the apology all of the sudden? “I thought we had this conversation?”

“Numerous times, but I want to apologize again.” Sephiroth rubbed small circles on the middle of Cloud’s back, careful not to touch his erogenous zone. That will be saved for later. “Because I angered you just recently as well.”

“It’s okay, Seph, really.”

The doctor sighed in disappointment. He didn’t want to bring his bad mood to the bedroom, but today truly sucked no matter how many times he tried to focus on Cloud. “…Sorry.”

“Maybe I should be the one to give you a massage.”

“No. I want to do this.”

He said it as a matter-of-fact, but the underlying tone was enough to stir the blond into a fit of embarrassment. Feeling his face warm up along with his body, he buried his head in his crossed arms. _Why the fuck am I so turned on by your voice?!_ It happened before when this very man first contacted him after the fallout with Zack. Who would have thought that one phone call would change his life forever?

Sephiroth felt Cloud relax even more and continued massaging soft skin. “Is it okay if I touch you here?” He traced a finger near Cloud’s scarred side, watching him squirm from the gentlest of touches.

“Mm.” That felt good. “J-Just don’t do anything weird…”

He lightly trailed his finger down marred skin, tracing along the intricate patterns halfway across his waist. Sephiroth became numb to patients telling their stories about their scars, yet looking at Cloud’s stirred a deep feeling of shame and disappointment.

This wasn’t supposed to be here.

He failed at being there for someone he cared for. _Again_.

Cloud lifted his head once he heard a shaky breath from behind him. He slowly rolled to his side and stared up at Sephiroth in complete shock. “You’re…” _crying_. Quickly sitting up, he cupped the side of his face, his thumb wiping away the tear streak.

Sephiroth grasped his hand, rubbing his cheek against a warm palm. It reminded him of Zack—but this hand was different. It was softer, smaller, and belonged to someone other than him. “I… really am sorry… for everything.” Was that meant for everyone who came close to him, or were these words reserved for Cloud’s ears only?

He tried to deny that anything was wrong, but this apology was said with such sincerity and emotion— strong enough to make his chest feel tight. Seph criticized his actions once again, even though he finally had closure with his ex. “Did I say something to offend y—” Cloud finally realized why Seph kept beating himself up over this. “Just because I’m self-conscious about my body doesn’t mean it’s your fault.” He felt so stupid for constantly bringing up something that none of his boyfriends shamed him for.

“You have every right to hate me. I should have intervened when you became distant with us that time."

“Seph,” Cloud grabbed his face, “Let it go.”

“I know I cannot change the past, but how can I let it go when I see the results of my poor insight?”

“You weren’t the one who held a grudge towards anyone who came close to you.” He brought their foreheads together, a gesture Zack recently liked to do whenever he sensed a mood swing. “I’m still here. Zack’s still here. Everyone didn’t leave you despite all of that bullshit.”

Closing his eyes, he grabbed both hands, and felt metal brush his finger. With a frown, he leaned back and held Cloud’s hand, spotting his mother’s ring. “Why?”

It would have been awkward to leave the ring in Gen and Ange’s bedroom. Yet, he had a feeling that wasn’t the answer he wanted. “Because we care about you,” he laced their fingers together, “like you care about us.”

_It’s not your fault, Seph._

Sephiroth didn’t need another reply when he finally allowed those words to sink into his brain. Zack ran back to him no matter how many times he was told to stay away. Angeal made sure to help him balance his schedule during peak hours at work. Genesis reminded him that there was more to life outside of the clinic. And Cloud… Cloud married him despite everything that happened. It was a political marriage, but maybe someday it could turn into something deeper than that. He finally found what he craved with Zack, but was it selfish of him to hope that more people soon felt the same way?

The blond let out a small gasp when lips pressed against his without warning. Sephiroth’s kiss was full of passion, desperation—as if he waited for an eternity to initiate their rare moment together. Cloud wrapped his arms around his neck and fell back on the bed, bringing his husband down with him. _Don’t stop._

Sephiroth broke the kiss to remove his shirt with haste. Once he tossed it to the side, he caught the lingering stare from the blond beneath him.

Cloud’s breath hitched at the sight before him. Although the bedroom was dimly lit, he never forgot just how beautiful Sephiroth was—naked or clothed. Fingers trailed down pale skin, all the way to the black waistband. His body ached to have him again, but slight paranoia came back when he couldn’t remember the last time they were alone together. _How long has it been?_

“Two months.”

Cloud blinked up at him. “Did you just read my mind?”

“I was just thinking about the last time we were alone.”

_Me too…_ With a shake of his head, he tugged at the waistband of his pants. “Less thinking and more smooching, Seph.”

A small smirk graced his lips before he went back to kissing Cloud. He settled between his legs, guiding them to wrap around his hips. He felt a shiver from the blond and grinded against him, causing Cloud to arch his back with a sigh. Sephiroth planted light kisses across Cloud’s neck, occasionally licking and nipping his skin. Fingers tugged at his hair tie and he raised his head to remove it for him.

One of Cloud’s favorite intimate moments with Seph involved playing with his hair. No matter how many times he was around him, he always had the urge to thread his fingers through soft strands—even in public.

The doctor trailed his tongue down Cloud’s chest, his glowing eyes holding the lust-filled gaze above him as he took a nipple into his mouth. A loud moan coaxed him to continue teasing the pink bud.

“Hah…!” his eyes clenched shut at the sensation. He had a love/hate relationship with one of his erogenous zones simply because teasing them drove him _insane_.

Suddenly, Sephiroth had an idea—one that will sort of test Gen’s claims about introducing BDSM once again. Of course, he wouldn’t start out with spanks, but what about restraints?

Cloud watched Sephiroth roll off of him and disappear into the giant closet. He blinked absentmindedly at the partially-opened door, wondering if he did or said something wrong. Just when he was about to give up, his husband came back with strips of black cloth. The blond sat upright, confused as to what was going on. “Um…”

“I’m trying something.” He climbed back on the bed. “Lie down and hold your arms above your head.”

He frowned even harder at the request, but shrugged his shoulders and did as instructed. Sephiroth wrapped the cloth around his wrist and tied the other end to the bedpost. _Oh._

The doctor propped Cloud against the headboard with several pillows. “Let me know if you feel uncomfortable,” Sephiroth whispered before crawling over him to tie the other wrist. Looking at the blond displayed beneath him, he was reminded of the night with Zack where they carefully introduced light kink. _Beautiful._

Cloud moaned when cool hands dragged down his sides. It felt ticklish, yet arousing until they brushed his scarred side. He squirmed under the touch, tossing his head to the side to avoid intense eye contact. _Don’t look!_

“Now you can’t hide from me.” The doctor lowered his head and continued licking Cloud’s nipples.

“Fuck…” he bit his lip when Sephiroth settled between his legs again. A tongue came closer to his scar and he let out another gasp. “No…”

“It’s okay, Cloud.” He wondered exactly what Angeal did to spark that insatiable sex drive everyone missed. Zack didn’t elaborate much the other night, so perhaps he should have a small chat with the chef. After all, Genesis claimed Angeal had hidden skills he longed to see again.

“Please… don’t…!” He wished his hands were free so he could hide his embarrassment.

Sephiroth didn’t touch him anymore and lifted his head to watch the blond shut his eyes. “Take deep breaths. Remember, it’s just me.” Instead, he kissed his way back towards his nipples, feeling Cloud’s erection brush against his stomach.

Cloud didn’t know how to feel. His anxiety fought with his lust, but when Seph licked his nipples again, he let out a very, _very_ embarrassing sound. Immediately biting his lower lip, his brought his thighs tighter around the doctor’s waist and begged the gods that he wouldn’t make such a stupid sound like that _ever_ again.

“Hmph.” he tried not to laugh at the strange, yet cute, noise from the blond. He decided to leave a quick kiss on his lips, reassuring him that it’s okay to be vocal during foreplay. Hands tugged perky nipples again while he deepened the kiss.

This was too much. Seph wasn’t doing anything different than before, but his simple teasing was enough to make him come. Angeal was able to do this once, so maybe— He jerked his head back when he could no longer keep his orgasm at bay. “Oh, _fuck_!”

_Ah, that’s right_. “Come for me, Cloud.”

“Hah…” he grinded his hips against Seph’s and couldn’t hold back any longer when he felt that massive cock beneath those pants. He couldn’t wait to have it inside him again after what felt like ages. “Seph…” he said in a breathless cry. His legs trembled from the intensity of his orgasm. “Gods!”

Sephiroth propped himself over the blond and watched his expression as he came. He played with Cloud’s nipples over and over again until he heard ragged pleas for him to stop. He quickly released them and glanced down only to notice that there was no evidence of what just occurred. This was the first time he’s ever seen someone have a…

Catching his breath, Cloud slowly opened his eyes only to find Sephiroth looking at his cock. “What…?”

“A dry orgasm.”

“Huh?” At one glance between his legs, he felt the embarrassment creep back into his brain. That’s never happened before. “I-Is that bad…?”

The medical part of his brain wanted to give a long speech about the pros and cons of them, but the boyfriend side overshadowed his thoughts with a simple reply. “I think it’s erotic.”

Trying not to get mad at the awkward praise, Cloud said, “Untie me so I can try to give you one.”

“No.”

“You’re turning down a blowjob?”

He scooted down low enough to plant a quick kiss on his inner thigh. “There will be many more opportunities in the near future.”

There was no way he could reply when a tongue licked the head of his cock. He wished he had the strength to break the restraints off and take control of their foreplay, but his mind went blank once again when that tongue teased the slit. _Fuck you._

Sephiroth swallowed his cock in one go, reveling in the mewls and pants above him. A deep part of his subconscious wished that he could use a spreader bar for maximum restraint, but there was no way he’d do that this soon. However, Cloud tugging his restraints while receiving a blowjob allowed him to consider the thought for future sessions. He reached for the small bottle of lube that he secretly placed not too far from Cloud’s head and popped it open with his thumb.

Cloud moaned from Seph’s mouth making him feel so fucking good, but when he heard the sound of a bottle, he spread his legs even wider. One wet finger slowly pushed inside, causing more lustful sounds out of his mouth. “Yesss…”

He released his cock to say, “Patience, Cloud.” He already sensed the urgency from the way his breathing changed.

“Please.”

That plea won’t force him to lose control again. Cloud needed to understand that sex was more than an orgasm; and perhaps Angeal somehow knew that was the biggest vice when it came to fucking Cloud. Sephiroth curled his finger, locating that spot in record time. He smiled at the loud cry erupting from the cute blond.

He moved his hips in time with Seph’s motions and all he wanted was to be roughly fucked on this bed. “Make me… come again.”

“You don’t tell me what to do.”

Before he could make a snarky reply, Seph’s mouth was on his cock again while a second finger was added. “Fuck!”

Not only did he desire to see Cloud with a spreader bar, but also have those pretty lips wrapped around a ball gag like last time. _Later._ He will never hear the end of it once he told Genesis that he would reconsider getting involved in BDSM again.

“Ah, Seph!” He rocked his hips even faster, almost controlling the pace. “Put it _in_ me!”

The doctor moved away from his cock, his gaze holding the blond in place. “You have two fingers.”

“Not… enough!”

“Such a slut.” He added a third, carefully watching his expression for any signs of pain.

Cloud let out a sharp cry, followed by wiggling his hips from the sudden stretch. Barely a minute passed before he wanted more. “Give it to me!”

“Hm?” A coy smile appeared. “My hand, or something else?”

“Fuck _you_!”

“Oh, I don’t like that answer,” he whispered before pulling his fingers out of the blond. Sephiroth quickly propped himself next to him and shoved the same finger inside Cloud’s mouth. “Try again, Cloud.”

He shivered at the tone of his voice. Sephiroth could tell him to stop breathing and he’d probably do it. Instead of entertaining that weird thought, he circled his tongue around the appendage. He remembered that Seph’s hands were sensitive and flicked his tongue across the tip, tasting remnants of the flavored lubricant.

The doctor immediately shoved another finger inside while grinding against his hip. He grinned at muffled groan and asked, “What is it that you want?”

He jerked his head to the side, spitting those fingers out of his mouth. “For you to fuck me senseless.”

Sephiroth gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and trailed his wet fingers over his lips. “I like your request.”

“Mm,” the feel of his lover’s hard cock brushing against his body was enough to make him toss his head back. _I want it._

He quickly removed his pants, tossing it to the side. Grabbing the lube, he poured a puddle onto his hand and stroked his cock. He wished to have Cloud to prepare him, but he had better ideas with the restrained blond. This way, Cloud wouldn’t touch himself like always and come too soon.

Blue eyes lingered on the moving hand and all he could do while tied down was lick his lips. He longed to give Seph a blowjob after weeks of nothing. “Untie me.”

The glint in Cloud’s eyes was brief, but the moment he saw a pink tongue dart out, he knew exactly what he really wanted. “No.”

He shifted on the bed, never breaking his gaze from his movements. “Just a taste… please.”

Sephiroth slowed his strokes, studying Cloud’s expression. Not once did he ever look at him, but what his hand was doing.

Cockslut.

He crawled over him and knelt above his chest. His hard cock was a mere space away from plush lips and he never stopped stroking his cock. Cloud tried to lick the glistening tip, but Sephiroth grabbed a handful of blond hair and pulled his head back, hard enough to make him wince.

Cloud kept one eye open, daring to break away from Seph’s proximity. He just wanted a taste, nothing more.

Sephiroth guided his cock closer to his lips again, but prevented Cloud from getting any closer with a tug of his hair. He heard a quiet hiss and teased him again and again. This time, Cloud stretched his tongue as far as it would go to get a small taste of precum. Sephiroth allowed it only once and jerked his head back with dark laughter. _Oh, you’re too much fun._

His head and neck began to hurt from the constant pulling, but he didn’t feel too uncomfortable with the way Seph taunted him with his hard cock. Gods, he wanted it more than anything—in his mouth, or ass—he did not care. He wanted to feel it do things to him.

For a brief second, Sephiroth allowed him to taste his cock. He guided Cloud’s head further down, feeling a tongue flick his foreskin. Groaning at the sensation, he held Cloud’s head in place and thrusted a little deeper.

“Mm…” This is what he needed tonight—to be rough-handled and feel so fucking good.

“Good boy,” he muttered before pulling out. At the loud whine from the loss, he cupped Cloud’s cheek with his free hand, sticking a thumb between his lips.

Cloud did everything to it: sucking, licking, biting—anything to get that giant cock back in his mouth.

“Ah, next time.” The doctor quickly crawled off him and settled between his legs. He pushed Cloud’s thighs closer to his chest and positioned himself at the entrance. With one more glance at the blond, he slowly slid inside, groaning at the warmth surrounding his cock. He watched his lover’s face, loving the way his eyes lidded from the intrusion.

“Seph!” Cloud tossed his head back against the pillows, rolling his hips to get some form of relief. He was so big… just like Angeal… “Gods! Ah!”

Sephiroth let out a deep moan and held himself in place, giving Cloud time to adjust while he fought not to be so rough. Cloud would love it either way, but he wasn’t in the mood for that tonight. “Cloud,” he sighed.

“Move.” He moved his ass on Seph’s cock, biting his bottom lip from that painfully delicious stretch.

He narrowed his eyes at the command. Sephiroth grew tired of Cloud constantly trying to rush things. “I should gag you.”

“Why? Don’t like dirty talk?” He replied with a small grin. But one quick thrust quickly wiped that smirk away.

Sephiroth set about a tempered pace, leaning forward and bringing Cloud’s ankles on his shoulders. He slapped a hand over his husband’s mouth. “Shut up.”

The blond groaned behind his hand, jerking his head from side to side when his pace increased. A string of muffled curses came from his mouth, but in the end, he felt undeniably _euphoric._

Cloud’s sounds were music to his ears as he fucked him. He moved his hand away and those lustful sounds increased in volume. Should he keep fucking him in this position, or… His body answered for him when he pulled out and flipped him over. Cloud immediately raised his ass before he needed to be told. Sephiroth playfully slapped it and slid back inside with a grunt.

“Seph!” Cloud buried his head in his arms. The position was slightly uncomfortable given his arms were twisted in an awkward angle, but the pleasure coming from behind was enough to overshadow it all. “Harder!”

Sephiroth bit his shoulder hard enough to elicit a cry. _Hush_. He wanted to mark Cloud all over, punish him for being a brat, but the blond wasn’t ready for that just yet. Soon… soon Cloud will experience what everyone secretly longed for despite everything else that went wrong.

Hips slapped against his ass, teeth grazed along his shoulder—Cloud couldn’t fucking think anymore with Sephiroth giving it to him so good. _Fuck, fuck, fuck!_ He didn’t want it to end!

Sephiroth ripped the makeshift restraints with ease and brought Cloud to sit in his lap. He watched his face as the blond sank back down on his cock and rode him without another word. Arms wrapped around his neck and the two were locked in another passionate kiss. The new angle allowed him to go even deeper; and based on his husband’s sounds, he knew he hit Cloud’s prostate. The doctor pulled back with a breathy sigh and ran his fingers through spiky blond hair. Glazed blue eyes met his, and a small smile appeared on his lips. _Beautiful._

The blond felt soft appendages trail down his spine all the way to rub small circles around his lower back. Cloud moaned at the sensation and grasped his shoulders even tighter, riding him until he felt his orgasm approach. He kept his back arched as the angle allowed Seph’s cock hit his prostate over, and over, and—

“Come for me again, Cloud.” Tight heat clenched around his cock to the point that he could no longer hold back as well.

At the command, he let out a hoarse cry as he came. “Seph!” Sephiroth held his hips in place and took over their movements as he rode his orgasm. Soon after, he heard a muffled groan on the side of his neck and thought he actually _felt_ Sephiroth come inside him. Gen often called this erotic technique a ‘blessed gift’ that was also a ‘blessed curse’ during cleanup. “Fuck…”

The silence stretched between them as they caught their breaths. A lot of ideas went through Sephiroth’s head as he stroked spiky blond hair. He will have to first talk to Angeal and Zack, because Genesis would agree to anything he suggested before there was a collective decision. Cloud needed to be tamed, and tonight was a glimpse of what could be something long-term.

Sephiroth prayed to the gods that nothing came between the fivesome again. But Denise’s stupid actions reached Cloud once again. Somebody was after the Marshalls and knew about Cloud’s relationship to them. Whomever it was, they will have an even harder time getting closer. Cloud was now married with three boyfriends—two with nasty tempers. However, he too learned that his temperament was just as violent (if not worse) than Gen’s.

The doctor brought Cloud’s hand to his lips and kissed his mother’s ring. He will protect Cloud from anyone, even if it costed his family name. No longer will he ignore his past mistakes.

Cloud let out a quiet moan and nuzzled the side of his husband’s face. “Thank you.”

He frowned, pushing away his racing thoughts. “What for?”

“Dunno.” He leaned back and faced him, brushing away silver strands clinging to his forehead. “I just wanna say that.”

Sephiroth kissed him, burying his hand in Cloud’s hair. He heard a soft groan and realized that it came from his own lips.

_I’ll destroy anyone who tries to hurt you again._


	6. Chapter Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's shoplifting, followed by a sex scene in the second part of this chapter.

For the first time ever, all five men sat in the giant kitchen. It wasn’t because of a special occasion, or because Angeal cooked a feast, but simply a matter of perfect timing. Perhaps the stars aligned in order for them to spend time together; or perhaps the Goddess took pity after the numerous fallouts last year. Either way, none of the men complained as they ate their breakfast together.

Genesis sat at the end of the table with a small grin on his face. He rested his head in his hand as he watched his favorite little blond chatting with Angeal. Every now and then, the two would talk at the same time, only to stop mid-sentence and wait for someone to speak up first. For a while Genesis found it sickly sweet, but the look on Angeal’s face actually made him jealous.

He should be comfortable enough to watch his lovers sitting next to each other. Angeal loved him since they were children, and Cloud recently said those three words he longed to hear. Yet a deep, dark part of his subconscious didn’t like it for some reason.

On the other hand, Sephiroth sat opposite from him reading the newspaper while drinking his coffee. Zack did the talking per usual, but Sephiroth always listened with curt nods, or tiny smirks as Zack laughed at his own jokes. Genesis always found their relationship to be peculiar, but a part of him wished that he was the one to open Sephiroth’s heart first. However, Seph’s loyalties to Zack were too strong to break—something that Genesis should respect, given that he had the same strong bond with Angeal.

He should be delighted to see everyone together. Usually Sephiroth would be the first to leave at ass dawn, followed by Angeal. Instead Genesis waltzed into the kitchen to make his own cappuccino, only to find Sephiroth already at the espresso machine making specialty drinks for _everyone._ Genesis almost teased him about sex with Cloud putting him in a good mood, but after the first sip of perfectly heated coffee, he suddenly forgot what he wanted to joke about.

Maybe his weird mood had to do with his dead-end conversation with Henry yesterday. Forrest was against passing on the number, but after several threats, he relented. Unfortunately, Henry wasn’t in the best of moods when he answered the phone. Genesis definitely didn’t miss the horrible instances where Henry’s mood swings targeted anyone in his path. After several minutes of listening to nothing but shouting and cursing through the phone, he eventually hung up when the constant insults about his ‘dead music career’ annoyed the piss out of him. _So much for snooping._

He will have to find other ways to get someone close to Stupid Luke to spill the beans. There were very few ‘mutual’ friends on his list (few as in two), therefore, he needed to be sneaky about approaching the subject. He also considered them to be neutral territory. He would offer small details about his current life—leaving out tidbits about the fivesome, and they would return the favor with info about Luke. Keeping tabs on an ex wasn’t wise, as Angeal liked to say, so he stopped telling his darling what he still did from time to time. If he pried too much, however, somebody would grow bored and tell Angeal.

Oh well. His investigations were for a noble cause.

And that cause called his name several times until he shook out of his reverie. “What did you say?”

“I said what time did you wanna leave for the dance school?” Cloud said.

“Hm,” he glanced at the clock on the wall, “In another hour or so.”

Angeal asked, “When does it start again?” After Genesis told him, he groaned and smacked his forehead. “That completely overlaps with the gardening class.”

Cloud’s eyes widened. “What? Really?!”

“It’s fine. I was actually eyeballing an ad for painting classes instead.”

“I’d like that either way, Ange. As long as it doesn’t conflict with anyone’s schedule, I’m good.”

Zack wished he also planned something more adult-like with Cloud, but he was not in the mood to sit in another classroom during his free time. “Guys, we actually don’t _have_ a schedule.”

“I brought that up last night and y’all just shrugged it off!” Genesis exclaimed. “Besides, how can we create one when we have Seph in our group?”

The doctor slowly lowered the newspaper to glare at him. “You make me sound like an antagonist.”

“I was just thinking how this was the first time we are all sitting together like a family. Your schedule is so erratic that it’s a record for you to sleep in your own bed for two nights in a row.”

“Sleep, he says,” Sephiroth muttered behind his coffee mug. They lived in the penthouse for one week and he’s slept only once when Zack and Cloud were in the bed at the same time. Other than that, he will sleep for maybe three hours and later check his emails. Funny how the best sleep he got was when he’s with two people…

Zack sighed. “I thought this slight job change would be for the best, but really you’ve been slipping right under our noses!”

“At least I come home.”

“…Okaaay, true…”

“Maybe we should make _you_ the focus,” said Genesis.

Cloud snorted behind his orange juice. “Seph Protection Squad.”

“As if we aren’t that already!” Literally everyone was assigned to something related to Sephiroth: Angeal with meal prep, Zack with the sanity talk, Cloud’s arguments to keep him on edge, and… Genesis pursed his lips together. What exactly did he contribute to Seph Protection Squad? Holding family meetings? _Cloud took over my job_ …

Angeal brought the conversation back to the matter at hand. “I prefer a schedule too because Cloud is the agreed focus, and there are a lot of things we were supposed to do but never got around to—uh—doing.”

“Oh, do _I_ have a list…” the professor muttered as he slumped back in his chair. Most of their planned events went down the drain thanks to Wicked Witch of the Rich. Even though karma did its job, he was still salty that she got away with her actions. But he may forgive her for another two minutes after listening to his very first mixtape from way back in the day.

Sephiroth was suddenly reminded of Gen’s kinky idea and looked at the blond, who casually ate his eggs. “What exactly should we put on the schedule? Our work hours and the classes?”

Zack wanted to cry. Between his brutal course schedule and job schedule, he may have to quit his job as a waiter and focus on maintaining his perfect GPA. Sephiroth warned him that there was no way he could pull this semester’s course load and work around his break periods. Zack thought he could do it, but the more he mulled over his schedule, the more he realized that he would have no free time with his boyfriends if he attempted it. After hearing from Reno about the stupid assassin, he didn’t want to ignore Cloud and leave it all to Seph again. Besides, the only reason he kept his job was to send money to his parents. Freeloading off his boyfriend wasn’t exactly ‘honorable’, but he _hated_ living in someone’s place for free. He did that once already and… Zack shook his head and said, “Ange and Gen are the only ones doing the classes. I was just gonna wait for my assigned day and chill at the arcade, or fuck around in Midgar.”

“I want another chocobo plushie…” Cloud muttered as he stabbed his fork in his eggs.

“You can get those anywhere,” Angeal said, remembering the one time he went to a fair with Genesis and never hearing the end of it when he didn’t have enough tickets to win a red chocobo plush. He later found the same one on display at a kids’ store once, but Genesis quickly changed his mind.

“It’s not the same when you win a bunch of tickets and redeem them to get the biggest prize on the shelf,” he said with an adorable pout.

That’s exactly what Genesis said. With a sigh he looked at Sephiroth and asked, “What about you? Do you have anything planned with Cloud?”

Folding the newspaper, the doctor placed it on the table and shook his head. “I don’t want to plan something and then my job unexpectedly requests my presence.” Though it would be nice to have something fun to do with Cloud. He used to go to the dog shelter with Zack, but that quickly faded out when their lives got complicated.

“Then why don’t we assign a day for you?”

“That would be nice, but I do not think that can work either…”

Genesis rolled his eyes. “My point still stands.” Ignoring the scowl, he added, “Which day of the week gets the least traffic?”

Sephiroth just sat there and blinked at him. His schedule did not change despite switching to house calls. Most of the unpredictable phone calls and emails came from his company in Junon. “…” Now that he thought about it, he will have to make a lot of trips to Junon in the future.

“Why don’t you just quit working and live off Cloud’s inheritance?”

“Then who will be responsible for the bills?”

“Y’all act like I’m getting a trillion gil,” Cloud interrupted.

“That is if you marry Rufus. Their stocks skyrocketed ever since Roland made the announcement.”

“Cloud,” Genesis said while batting his eyes. “Divorce Sephiroth and marry Rufus.”

“Gen, shut up.” His weird idea sounded like the plot to one of those soap operas that his mother binge-watched.

“I’m willing to suck his dick too if that means I get to live in a giant vacation home in Junon.” He did some research about that place and almost fainted when he found a few random pictures floating on the internet. Who has a hair salon in their own house?!

Angeal sighed for what felt like the millionth time. “I think we will set schedules for the people who live semi-normally.”

Cloud frowned at him. “Uh, whenever Roland sends me that letter or whatever rich people do, what then? I know Reeve has that crazy position for me, but I did a little reading on that in the company manual and it requires a lot of … stuffy shit.” If his job forced him to be like Seph then he will definitely quit and become a freelancer.

“Hm,” Sephiroth was also reminded of Cloud’s safety. He will have to assign a personal assistant before Cloud received the inheritance. Several people came to mind, including a few Turks, but to make it less conspicuous, he will have to make a phone call to an old acquaintance. “The protocol is that you will receive a letter requesting your presence on a certain date. Because I am married to you, I am allowed to attend as well.” Rufus wasn’t married to Denise yet, but knowing Roland, he will send the letter a month in advance to give them extra time.

“Gods…” He will sit in a room with people he didn’t like. Now he understood the reason for their marriage outside of not getting killed. “I want this over and done.” Suddenly he wasn’t hungry.

“It will be, don’t worry.” Though, he wished he believed his words as the fear for Cloud’s life was once again brought to his attention.

Genesis said, “So, about this schedule.”

“How about I work around yours? My days are busy, but I will be there for everyone whenever time allows it.”

Everyone seemed fine with the suggestion, leading to a few discussions about their outings together as a fivesome. Sephiroth wrote everything they’ve talked about on the blank side of the newspaper and frowned at the convoluted chart doodle. Genesis and Zack had similar schedules while Angeal was the only normal one. The chef did warn them about wedding season starting this spring, but overall, they could make this work as long as nobody got jealous.

* * *

After Genesis and Cloud left the dance school, they planned their next stop at the nearby shopping district. Cloud didn’t think he needed any since they were just practicing, but Genesis believed that they should show up to the classroom in style.

“You agreed to this,” the professor said.

Cloud gripped the seatbelt as his boyfriend swerved the car across three lanes. He will never get used to Gen’s driving for the rest of his life. “Please tell me that we’re not gonna drive around the city for some freakin’ leggings and a shirt!”

“I haven’t decided. Let’s visit this location first and see how it goes.” He honked his horn when a driver merged into his lane. “Why the _fuck_ do people think they have the right to enter _my_ lane when they see me driving?!”

“The expressway is for everyone to use, Gen.”

“Maybe if they went faster, I’d let them over but—” Genesis vigorously whipped the car around the driver. “Serves them right…”

Cloud let out a shaky breath as he tried to calm down from Gen’s road rage. “How is it that you haven’t gotten a speeding ticket lately?”

“My driving is much better than how it used to be.”

“ _This_ is better?” Zack said via text that he would never ride with Genesis after that morning commute. Cloud felt sorry for him, considering that it was his first time in Gen’s Baby.

“Seph is just as bad.”

“No he’s—” He frowned when he thought back to all those times he rode with him. “Hm…” In Junon, his motion sickness forced Seph to be a normal driver, but the other times… Wait a minute, wasn’t Seph supposed to take him somewhere the other day?

“He’s somehow sneakier.” Genesis glanced at the blond, who looked lost in thought. “What? Come to terms with the fact that I’m not the only bad driver in the fivesome?”

“No, it’s just… I forgot what Seph wanted to show me a few days ago.”

He was curious to know too since a gift from Sephiroth costed more than a car payment. “Ah, yes, before your little argument. At this rate you’ll be like Ange and me.”

“You guys haven’t really fought since you found out about me.”

Genesis almost slammed on his breaks, but remembered that he was well above the speed limit. “Has it already been a year?!” He looked at Cloud in shock.

“Technically, it won’t be a year until spring break, but yeah. You two haven’t tried to kill each other since then.” He suddenly felt nostalgic as he rode with his boyfriend. Almost a year ago, they were under _very_ different circumstances. Cloud wasn’t in Genesis’s car, that’s for sure.

It’s a miracle. After countless years of fights, emotional outbursts, and death threats, they were still together. Genesis honestly thought it wouldn’t be long before Angeal kicked his ass out of the townhome, but they made it work— the _fivesome_ made it work. “We don’t even have an anniversary,” he mumbled. He slowed his speed when he saw the exit sign.

“Huh?” Cloud looked at him. “You’ve known each other for so long.”

“Yes, and we fought so much that we don’t even know when we became official, since we called it off more than enough times.”

The blond gazed out the window, resting his head against the glass. “That makes me sad.”

“Why? We’re still sleeping in the same bed.”

“I would _give_ to have a boyfriend I’ve known since we were kids.” Instead he fell in love with manipulative assholes.

“You’re only twenty-three. You act like your life is over because you didn’t find the love of your life in high school.”

“I thought it was Tifa.” 

“My previous statement still stands.” Genesis cut into the exit line, ignoring the driver honking their horn at him. “You have us now, and you’re married to Seph. When I was twenty-three, I was—” he stopped, refusing to finish his sentence.

Cloud felt bad for accidentally bringing up unwanted memories. If he remembered the timeline correctly, Genesis was on the verge of a mental breakdown. “…” Just then, his phone notified him of a message. Cloud pulled his cell from his pocket, thinking it was Zack, but it was actually Kunsel. He forgot that they exchanged numbers that time.

_Howdy, country boy._

He smiled and typed back, _It’s Cloud, remember?_

“Is that Zack?”

“Nope. A friend.” Kunsel replied with an emoji.

They’ve been in this situation before. About a year ago, he interrogated a frightened Cloud, unaware of his involvement with Zack, who was also dating Sephiroth. Cloud tried to be sneaky about Zack as well, but he forgot that Genesis Rhapsodos never ignored his intuition. “Friend?” he simply repeated.

“Met this guy outside of Tifa’s bar.”

Genesis had a slight moment of panic when he recalled his boyfriend’s bedmate count rivaling his when he reached twenty-three. “What’s his name?”

“Kunsel.” Cloud paused and scowled at him. “You’re not assuming something else, are you?”

“I was not implying that at all, dear heart.” He drove down the busy street, half wanting to bully the slow pedestrians.

“Every time you get nosy, I can’t help but think that!”

He sighed. “No need to get so defensive.”

“At least let us make it to one year before people start pointing fingers again.” The blond folded his arms across his chest and let out a huff.

“Fine. I was a little bit suspicious.” Cloud may be with four men, but it’s so easy to get cocky, coming from someone who had been in his position many times before. “As your boyfriend, I have every right to be.”

“I thought we trusted each other?”

“You know I do.” _Old habits die hard, Cloud._ “We’re here, by the way.”

Cloud replied to the text with an emoji and locked his screen. He placed the phone on his lap and gazed out the window. “Is this sector seven?” Given the names of the stores, they had to be in the rich neighborhood again.

“Yes.”

“I am _not_ gonna splurge on Seph’s credit card.”

“You need to dress fancy anyway when you two go public.”

This again. “Can’t I just live normally for five minutes?” he muttered as he unbuckled his seatbelt.

He glanced at the jewelry around Cloud’s finger. “Not while you’re wearing that ring of his.”

Why was it that every time he wore this bloody ring, his boyfriends said something about it? Sephiroth didn’t care if he wore it or not, but something told Cloud to get used to the passive-aggressive comments. “Whatever.” Maybe he should have left it at home again.

Genesis locked the door right when Cloud touched the handle. “What’s wrong, dear heart?”

_A lot of things, including why I moved to Midgar thinking my life would be the shit._ “I’m really tired of people accusing me of shit I haven’t done—or rather— _will not do_ , Gen.” Kunsel seemed nice, but that was about it.

He already had a sarcastic reply on the tip of his tongue. His subconscious told him to tease Cloud a little bit, but instead, he decided to be mature about their conversation and said, “You’re right. I’m… sorry.”

An apology from Genesis was like finding a shooting star. That’s how Cloud knew he meant it because Genesis was not one to admit fault over _anything._ “Just trust me, okay? I desperately need new friends.” He was so involved with dating drama last year that he lost touch with the few people he liked.

The professor unbuckled his seatbelt and unlocked the car. “Well, if this Kunsel person tries to get handsy, I won’t hesitate to threaten him. Remember my lovely little incident with Alan?” He smirked at the startled expression on Cloud’s face. _You’re so cute._

The two browsed around the shops while holding hands. Cloud was a little self-conscious about it, thinking they would attract attention. Genesis told him that they were in Midgar. Unless they suddenly had sex in the middle of the walkway, no one would give a rat’s ass about their PDA. Cloud had a hard time erasing the vivid imagery from his mind.

They arrived at one of Gen’s favorite shops. Cloud enjoyed listening to the dance music blasting on the speakers above them, until he saw a shirt he liked and coughed at the price tag. “What the fuck?”

“Cloud?” Genesis called from a few feet to the side. “I found the athletic wear.”

“Gen, this is waaaay out of my price range!”

He rolled his eyes and beckoned him closer. “Stop complaining and get over here.”

The blond weaved through the clothing racks, glancing around the dimly lit store. “This a luxury store or somethin’?” Usually those types of stores have blinding lights and open spaces for the entire world to watch a person shop around.

“They sell off-season attire from high-end brands.”

“The prices are still _in season_ though…”

“We live in a penthouse.”

“We ain’t payin’ to live there either!”

“By the Goddess…” Genesis rubbed his forehead. “Dear heart, you’re married to a Crescent, not a Hewley. For once, I’d like for you to stop gawking at the price tag.”

The blond pulled a random pair of sweatpants from the rack and held it in front of him. “Can _you_ afford these?!” Who the fuck wants to dance in pants that costed as much as his old rent amount?

The professor smiled, but it wasn’t a genuine one. It was the smile of a man who had a trick up his sleeve—or rather, _pockets_. “No, but I can get the five-finger discount.”

“Huh?” he looked around for signs advertising sale percentages. “Where do you see that?”

_So innocent._ What a perfect opportunity to test Cloud’s response to adrenaline, while also maintaining his sector eight lifestyle skills. “Find some leggings in your size and then let’s try them on in the dressing room. I’ll explain in there.”

Cloud looked confused but shrugged his shoulders as he thumbed through the hangers and found a pair. He followed Genesis, who had a few clothes in his arms, and they disappeared into the dressing room.

Genesis placed a finger on his lips. “Observe.”

The blond frowned when his boyfriend pulled out some weird device. Genesis sat on the bench and carefully used the device to pop the security tag off the shirt. Cloud slapped a hand over his mouth when Genesis did the same for the pants. _Oh my gods?!_

He examined the clothes for other hidden security tags. The only reason he got caught in the past was because he forgot to remove the secret stickers tucked away in the pockets. “Now all you have to do is wear this underneath your jeans,” he whispered.

Cloud was speechless. He shouldn’t approve his boyfriend’s actions like this! Yet, he took the pants, slightly turned on by the fact that Genesis pulled another crazy stunt without a second thought.

A few minutes later, they walked out of the dressing room wearing the stolen clothes underneath their outfits. Because it was still winter, they could hide the weird fits with their coats. Cloud watched Genesis pick a belt off the sale rack and bring it to the cashier. The blond glanced around the store, making sure nobody looked at them in a weird way. Genesis pulled him closer and whispered in his ear, “Remember what I said earlier? The only way to get attention is if we give them a reason to stare.”

He slowly nodded, smiling at the small peck on his cheek.

After he paid for the random item, Genesis kindly asked the sales associate to give him extra shopping bags. “I ordered post-holiday gifts online for a friend. The package that the items came in didn’t have an aesthetic appeal like your bags.” He added a little dramatic flair by placing a hand on his cheek.

The lady smiled and handed him a few bags. “Of course! He must be lucky to have a friend like you!”

Genesis winked at her. “It’s nice to spoil others every now and then.”

When they left the store, Cloud grabbed his arm. “Gen, what the hell?!”

“Hm, you’re not responding like I had hoped. We’ll have to fill these bags at the other stores.”

“Gen, this isn’t—”

He abruptly stopped and turned to him. “Just like Zack, I wasn’t that much different from your exes either.” He leaned closer to his ear again. “I haven’t forgotten that look in your eyes that night.”

His breath hitched when he received another kiss on the cheek. Bright blue eyes gazed into darker ones, unsure how to respond to his boyfriend’s… bad boy persona that once pushed him away. “Did you honestly bring me here for just that?”

“Part of it,” he replied with a shrug. “I also have you to myself for the first time in ages. I’m going to do what I do best, and that is to shock your little country boy upbringing.”

“Sure, Professor Banora. I hope we don’t get caught.”

“Hmm,” he looked around the outlet and spotted another luxury store on the other side of where they stood. “Then how about I show you what it’s like to trigger the alarms and then weasel your way through security?”

Before Cloud said anything, Genesis grabbed his wrist and dragged him to his next targeted location. The professor decided to teach his newest student different variations of the five-finger discount.

Genesis only wanted to push the boundaries with one other store, but the urge to shoplift at multiple locations forced him to go overboard with their activities. One store led to another, and another, _and another._ A security guard carefully watched him with Cloud at one store. He purposefully left the security tag on the one jacket he paid for, and hid it from the cashier. That way, when it triggered the alarm, he gave the guard a reason to be foolish enough to suspect someone who honestly paid for his item. He held the jacket and pointed at the tag, in which the cashier abruptly apologized and removed it. Meanwhile, Cloud stood in the camera’s blind spot and stuffed a shirt in his shopping bag.

Heart racing, breathing shifting to ragged gasps, Cloud Strife didn’t think he’d be aroused by their actions. What they did was _wrong_. Everything about their time at the outlet was something he should _not_ have enjoyed. What made him change his mind compared to last year, when he learned about Gen’s criminal record? Was it because they fell in love?

That couldn’t be it because he loved his exes too—at least, he _thought_ he did until they dragged him into their mess with false promises. Genesis wouldn’t do that. Gen wouldn’t force him to do shit that made him uncomfortable, right?

But what finally pushed Cloud to ignore his morals was when a pair of disapproving eyes watched him leave the store with his boyfriend. He had a feeling that they knew what he did, but not one of those security guards bothered to stop him. _Stupid._

He was practically giddy with excitement as Genesis slammed the trunk of his car. “That felt _incredible._ ”

Genesis studied his boyfriend’s expression. Cloud stood there panting in the winter air, tugging his coat tighter around his lithe form. Those pretty eyes he adored so much were practically glazed over from the rush of almost getting caught, just like that night. If he wasn’t mistaken, his dear heart was potentially an exhibitionist _._ Granted, an illegal stunt was probably not the best way to confirm his theory, but the look on Cloud’s face was that of an unspeakable desire he longed to satisfy again.

Finally.

Already lacking pants, Cloud grinded in Genesis’s lap as the driver’s seat tilted back far enough for the blond not to hit his head on the ceiling of the car. Genesis admired the new shirt that costed a fortune, if only someone paid for it. He smirked at his thought and brought Cloud down for another passionate kiss.

“Mm, that was so much fun,” he murmured against his lips. He unzipped his boyfriend’s pants and pulled out his cock, moaning over how hot and hard it felt in his hands.

“You really want to fuck here?” he whispered, eyes lidded as Cloud gently squeezed his cock.

“I can’t wait.”

For Cloud to be this impatient in the middle of the damn parking lot told him that he was in for a ride of his life. And as someone who couldn’t wait for his boyfriend’s insatiable sex drive to return, Genesis decided that he wouldn’t protest any longer. “We’re using condoms because I just got these seats cleaned last week.”

Cloud snickered at his words, grateful to love someone like Gen. “I’ll do whatever it takes to have an orgasm.”

After a few clumsy moments of grabbing the lube and condoms, Cloud slid two wet fingers inside his ass and moaned at the sudden feeling. He wasn’t sore after last night, but no matter how many times he prepared himself, he always felt that moment of pain upon first penetration. “Ah, Gen…”

Genesis stroked both of their cocks with lubed hands. “Feel good?”

“Yes… ahh… fuck yeah…”

He watched the beautiful blond pleasure himself, arching his back with each stroke and thrust of his fingers. Each sharp intake of breath followed by deep groans will forever be music to his ears. _I love you so much._

“I’m close!”

Genesis stopped his movements and tore open the condom wrappers. He quickly slid one over each cock and told Cloud to stop fingering himself. “If you come before I do, I will be pissed.”

“I’ll keep riding you.” The blond threw his arms around his boyfriend’s neck and kissed him. He positioned himself over Gen’s cock and slid down, moaning behind the kiss. _Fuck._

“Cloud,” he said in a breathy sigh. It’s been too long—too long since he fucked Cloud like this. No third lover, or fourth, just the two of them engaged in the act of debauchery. He buried his face in the crook of Cloud’s neck and slid his hands underneath the shirts. “Do it.”

Cloud rocked his hips as hard and fast as he could go. “G-Gen!” Gen’s cock felt so fucking good. “Mmfuck!”

The car shook with their movements, but neither men cared if they were being watched. Genesis gripped Cloud’s ass and controlled his pace. His tongue licked the side of his neck, earning him a mewl. Cloud clenched his cock like a vice, and he knew it wouldn’t be long before he came. He groaned Cloud’s name as he felt his orgasm approach. _I don’t want this to end so soon._ There will be more situations like this soon, now that his dear heart’s sex drive came back.

Cloud kissed him again, circling his hips until Gen’s cock brushed against his prostate. Tongues danced to their erotic cries, caressing each other’s mouths as he slowed his grind to a sensuous act.

Genesis broke the kiss to press their foreheads together. “You feel… so good,” he whispered.

He smiled and licked his upper lip. “You do too.”

“Let’s come together, love.” He brushed back blond bangs and kissed him.

With synchronous movements, Cloud and Genesis reached their climax at the same time. Cloud held onto his boyfriend as he came, tossing his head back while he grinded in his lap. “Gen!”

“Cloud…” He let out a low groan, wrapping his arms around the blond’s waist as pleasure ran through his body. “Goddess…”

They caught their breaths in orgasmic bliss, hardly noticing that the car windows were completely foggy. Genesis didn’t bother to turn on the heat, given that they would generate enough of it during their lovemaking. But as sweat began to cool, he shivered when his body finally registered that it was still winter.

“Mm, let’s rob a bank,” Cloud lazily said as he nuzzled Gen’s neck.

He chuckled and kissed the top of his head. “You’re definitely the younger version of me.” He still wasn’t sure if that was a good or a bad thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I believe in Stupid Strifesodos Supremacy!!!!!!!!!


	7. Chapter Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the lack of updates. I reached a writing void with this fic. I think I have an idea on where to go now.

Maintaining a straight face in front of his boyfriends required a lot of practice during their drive back. Every now and then Cloud would stare at his expression in the visor mirror, as if he were preparing for an interview. Tifa said that he was pretty easy to read, and given that one of his boyfriends was a trained doctor, he had to master the art of lying in ten minutes or else he was in big trouble. Seph could easily look at his credit card bill and figure something didn’t add up—literally.

Genesis briefly watched his intense gaze in the mirror and said, “I do that all the time whenever I’m about to argue with Angeal.” He would spend hours rehearsing what he wanted to say, but the second he came face to face with his beloved, all efforts went out the window. One would think that someone who has been in the theatre business would be able to perfect his blank stare…

“You aren’t the type of person who likes to hide their feelings though,” Cloud replied before flipping the visor mirror back. He took a sip of his strawberry milkshake. After their adrenaline rush, they bought milkshakes for their boyfriends. Genesis knew what Angeal’s favorite flavor was, but they struggled with Zack and Seph. In the end, they went with chocolate for both Angeal and Sephiroth, while Zack had cookies and cream. Cloud bought minis of both flavors to consume later.

Maybe that’s why he failed to stay calm in a heated argument, unlike Angeal. “Yes, but I have to prepare myself for the inevitable anyway.”

“The fact that y’all prepare for an argument is weird. Don’t y’all get tired of that?”

Their old therapist asked the same question. Angeal said that he was used to it in a way, while Genesis felt bad for always riling him up over the tiniest of things. Angeal _never_ started a fight for as long as they’ve known each other. One could argue that last year’s fiasco with Cloud was his first attempt at starting shit, but he wasn’t the one who landed the first punch after discovering the cheating scandal. There were times where Genesis felt insecure around Angeal; from destroying their dreams to convincing him to sell their first townhome— he had moments where he thought that his beloved was just too good for him.

“Gen?” Cloud called.

The professor shook his head. “What did you say?”

He noticed the conflicted expression on his face. “If I touched a nerve then I’m sorry.”

“You didn’t. I was just reminded of something that I never addressed.” _At least to Angeal._

“What?”

He sighed. “Never mind.”

Cloud shrugged his shoulders and glanced out the window to see a giant sign advertising the second annual wine festival. He was suddenly hit with discomfort over last year’s clusterfuck. “Did you ever tell Ange that you were at the wine festival with Seph?” He remembered Angeal’s frustration over people cancelling on him, but later found out that Ange was mostly upset that Gen couldn’t join him. Cloud was also told that Genesis went anyway— with Sephiroth.

Genesis gripped the steering wheel. “…No.”

“Gen…” Seph did mention once that Genesis became attached faster than ‘he anticipated.’

“Don’t ruin our post-coital glow.”

Something told him that it needed to be said anyway. “I think the reason you guys fight so much is because you’re never honest with each other…” Arguments stem from miscommunication—that he learned from the fivesome.

Genesis mulled over Cloud’s words and slowed his speed on the expressway. The difference between this fivesome versus the old one was exactly what Cloud said. Forrest and Claire were mostly exclusive to one another, which stirred a lot of jealousy among the rest of them. Luke was just a walking disaster and he dragged everyone with him in his stupid little mind games. Seph, Zack, and Cloud were _nothing_ like them. Everyone put effort into the relationship, which is why they are now living in the same home.

Intuition told Genesis that something else needed to be said. He wanted to hear Cloud speak what has weighed on his mind for _years_. They were already close to the penthouse, but the professor steered the vehicle into the emergency lane and parked the car. “Elaborate a little further.”

The blond wasn’t sure if he should, but he trusted Genesis not to blow a fuse during casual conversation. “I don’t want to—”

“Say it.” Then he added, “Please.”

“I think polyamory benefits you two the most because you’re forced to be honest with the rest of us. Like I said before, ever since we started the fivesome, you and Angeal haven’t argued about something big.”

“Seph’s been trying to figure out how Ange and I managed to stay together despite our constant fallouts. I gave him an explanation, but now that you’ve mentioned something I’ve ignored, I’m now wondering if it’s simply because we work best with others.” Their first two attempts with extra people failed, but third time’s the charm—as the saying went.

Cloud had a moment of panic when he realized where this conversation headed. “I don’t want to make you think that you weren’t meant for each other.”

Genesis glanced at his reflection in the rearview mirror. “No Cloud, it’s me.” The Turks erased his past after hunting down Luke, but here he was indulging in his bad habits—this time with Cloud. Cloud wasn’t supposed to enjoy their activities, yet what they did at the shopping district gave Genesis the desire to _do it again_. Angeal would be furious if he ever found out about their theft.

_I broke my promises again._

The professor tilted his head back until it bumped the headrest. “One day, Ange will have enough of my antics and never talk to me again. Yet I keep pushing him to do it, as if I want to see how far I can go after twenty-plus-years of getting away with the things I’ve said and done.”

Cloud tightened his grip around his cup and looked out the window. He hated himself for bringing up a touchy subject. Today was fun and he ruined it by some stupid therapy session that _no one_ asked for. “He wasn’t a saint either.”

“Angeal’s past was tame compared to mine. All of his decisions were because of me, Cloud.” After all, he was the one who suggested they revive their polyamorous lifestyle after months of boredom. Though, did Angeal take it personally when he said that he was bored?

The blond sharply turned to him. “One, don’t compare your struggles; and two, it’s because he loves you.” It’s so weird how just last year he thought love was a joke.

_Does he?_ “It’s more than that,” Genesis muttered. Deep down, he believed that the car accident stirred a lot of guilt between them. Then that guilt morphed into this sense of obligation to be with each other. These were some of the things their therapist prodded for them to admit, but their sessions quickly ended whenever the conversations went past his comfort zone.

“Huh?”

He shook his head. “It’s nothing.” Sitting up, he revved up the engine and accelerated back onto the expressway. “How about we leave the bags in my car for now? I’ll figure out a way to sneak them in.”

“Sounds good to me, I guess.” The conversation wasn’t over, but Gen’s demeanor said otherwise. “I’ll let you do the talking since I’ll most likely panic and say too much.” The last thing he wanted to do was look guilty in front of the others.

“Nonsense. Just be calm like that night and everything will be fine.” Genesis patted Cloud’s leg.

“You’re gonna make the conversation about us having sex, aren’t you?”

That is exactly what Genesis did the second they stepped back into the penthouse.

“My dearest Cloud just couldn’t _wait_ until we got home!” Genesis exclaimed with his hands stretched out for dramatic effect.

Zack snickered to himself and went back to brushing Sephiroth’s hair. They were in the living room talking away until they heard Gen heartily yell for their location. “Congrats.”

Sephiroth watched a red-faced Cloud flop onto the couch, not meeting anyone’s gazes. “I don’t see any hickeys.”

“I need more space if I want to ravish my dear heart.” Genesis gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. “Is Angeal here?”

“He stepped out for a bit,” said Zack. “Should be back soon.”

He fought to keep his expression neutral. He wanted to talk to his beloved after Cloud’s surprising analysis, but he also wanted to enjoy the rest of his day. _Fuck it._ After all, he finally had a chance to be alone with Cloud for the first time in _ages._ “Hm.” He looked at Zack. “Oh, Mr. Fair, you’re not going to welcome me with a kiss?”

The second Zack stopped brushing silver strands to regard him, he let out a muffled yelp when lips meshed against his. _HUH?!_ Dropping the brush, he steadied himself against the back of the couch while Genesis continued their exchange, this time adding tongue.

Sephiroth frowned then turned around to see Genesis kissing Zack for the first time. “This is…” He turned back to Cloud. “Just how good was it in the car?”

Cloud slumped down further on the couch, his face even redder than earlier. His attention struggled to remain on Sephiroth’s face after Zack instinctively grabbed Gen’s ass. _Oh fuck._ “Genesis is just horny.” When he said he will ‘cause a distraction,’ Cloud didn’t think he’d use Zack as part of his scheme.

The professor pulled away first with a wide grin, almost breathless, and _very close_ to asking Zack to find the nearest bed. “You’re an excitable kisser.”

Zack blinked at him, stunned by what just happened. “Uh…” Now he understood what everyone meant when they described Genesis as ‘flames of passion’ when it came to kissing him. “Hello to you too.”

“We can keep going if you want.” He wrapped his arms around Zack’s neck. “Your hands haven’t left my ass.”

Of course, Angeal walked into the living room and stopped dead in his tracks after spotting Zack and Genesis in an embrace. “The cactuars are flying.”

Genesis grew annoyed by the lack of excitement and slid away from Zack’s hold. “You guys acted like I proposed to him or something.” He suppressed a shiver when he no longer had Zack’s warmth to keep him cozy.

Cloud said, “When are we gonna—uh—mix around anyway? You guys kept holding back ‘cuz of me, but I’m okay with y’all having your fun too.”

“Probably when our new bed arrives,” Sephiroth answered.

“I cannot wait for the five of us to finally sleep together.” Genesis said before walking over to Angeal and giving him a kiss.

The blond shook his head. “You guys keep saying you will fuck each other but I have yet to see that.”

“Oh my.” He leaned against Angeal, who wrapped his arm around his waist. Genesis struggled to concentrate when Zack’s brief hold on him reminded him so much of Angeal. That was odd because he’s been around his darling enough times to where he could be blindfolded and tell the difference between Angeal’s touch versus someone else’s. Pushing those thoughts aside, he said, “Feeling voyeuristic, aren’t we?”

“I… don’t have to watch. I just think it’d be okay for you guys to not have to wait for your turns with me.”

“Fine. Don’t get too surprised when you catch two or more of us fucking on the floor.” He regretted opening his mouth when the sudden image of Zack giving him rug burns forced him to let out another shaky breath.

Zack shrugged his shoulders. “Cool. I just hope nobody feels left out if we get too wild.”

“Or become attached to only one person,” Sephiroth added as he pulled loose strands from his head.

Cloud said, “I think after last year, we can tell if something is amiss.”

“No matter how good your intuition may be, there will always be moments of doubt when it comes to the people you care for.”

What Sephiroth said made everyone in the room grow silent. Fear of repeating what happened last year, or even longer ago, revived a lot of unwanted memories. It was Angeal who broke the silence with, “True, but there’s five of us now. If one may not see it, others will.” It made a world of difference that their group was keen enough to point out flaws without hurting each other’s feelings.

Later that evening, Sephiroth announced that he needed to visit his company office to retrieve several files. Everyone seemed okay with it, but it was Zack who was annoyed by his announcement. They were supposed to spend the evening together as stated on the schedule. Though it may change again once everyone found a solid routine. It would be hard, given that two people tend to have unpredictable habits, but it was better than letting an important day fly by.

Instead, Zack occupied his thoughts with video games. Cloud sat next to him drinking one of the mini milkshakes.

“Thanks for the shake, by the way,” Zack said.

“I’m just glad you liked the flavor. I actually struggled with that one.”

“I’ll take anything except mint. Not a fan of those.” When Angeal offered him mint candy over the holiday, he regrettably had to turn him down.

“I’ll remember that.”

They went quiet for a long time. Most of the time they talked about games or current internet memes. Cloud sensed something was wrong because Zack usually did most of the talking while he chimed in every now and then. “Is something bothering you?” he asked.

“No. Not really.”

When nothing else was said, Cloud frowned. “Zack, you’re never this quiet unless you’re asleep.” He crawled into his lap, causing his boyfriend to groan and lift his arms to give space.

The student decided to pause the game and tried hard not to fall for those baby blues gazing back at him. No matter how hard he tried to ignore that adorable little pout, Zack Fair will always lose to Cloud Strife’s pleading look. _Okay, okay, sheesh!_ “Seph and I were supposed to spend time together.”

“Wait a minute.” He looked at the clock. “He just went to get some files, right?” He’s been gone for _two hours_ now.

“You guys should know by now that when Seph says he’s going to the office, he doesn’t add that he will be working there too.”

“Maybe we should follow Gen’s idea and make him the focus. That way Seph won’t work himself to illness again.”

“Good luck trying to get him to cooperate.”

“It’s worked before. We just gotta bully him.”

“You really sound like Genesis now.”

“Well, what else are we supposed to do?” He wrapped his arms around his neck. “I don’t like seeing you sad, Zack.”

“I’m not sad…” he muttered before grabbing Cloud’s waist. “There’s just a lot on my mind.”

“School?”

_Part of it._ “Yeah. I hope I have time because I wanna maintain my perfect GPA and all that so I can get on the Dean’s List again. But I also wanna be around you guys now that we’re all together.”

“Have you decided to quit your job at that burger place?”

“Yeah, I talked with Seph about it. I’m gonna call them tomorrow.” He didn’t want to live off on one of his boyfriend’s income, but in order to not turn into said boyfriend, he had to sacrifice work to avoid losing sleep. Sephiroth offered to send money to Gongaga, which Zack immediately turned down. He will write a letter to his parents to explain why the stream of income will stop this year.

Cloud sensed that wasn’t the only thing bothering him, but decided to simply say, “We’ll take care of you.”

After their kiss extended to wandering hands groping bare skin, it was Cloud who pulled away first with a heavy sigh to say, “Now go get Seph.”

Zack didn’t want their kiss to end, but if he kept going, he would have forgotten about Sephiroth. “How am I even supposed to get in?” Maybe he should use his work uniform and pretend that he needed to make a food delivery to Dr. Crescent.

The blond held up his hand, flashing the wedding ring. “He told me something interesting.”

* * *

Sephiroth ended the video call with a tired sigh and leaned back in his chair. He glanced out the window at the skyscrapers and city lights, pondering if he should call Zack and explain his extended absence. Originally, he only wanted to locate some files for his Junon projects, but something told him to make a few calls first.

Cloud’s safety was his priority once again. He had no idea where to start with this mess thanks to Rufus stating that he would take care of the ‘potential suspects.’ Sephiroth still believed that the new president already knew who wanted the Marshalls dead. It _had_ to be someone close to Denise because who else knew about Cloud?

There was a knock at the door and Sephiroth assumed it was the janitor. He gave them permission to enter with a loud, “Yes?”

Zack Fair casually walked inside his office, looking around the room with wonder before his eyes met green ones. He silently stood in the middle of the office, grasping Cloud’s ring tightly in his grip.

Surprised, Sephiroth’s answers to his questions were already made before even needed to ask.

Cloud.

“You know,” Zack began, “my first thought was not how cool your office looked, but the fact that I don’t have an access code.” Cloud told him that Sephiroth had the passcode etched on the ring when he got it resized.

“There’s no reason for you to have one,” he said, sitting up in his chair and watching his boyfriend walk towards him.

_No reason, he says._ “So, why does Cloud get everything anyway? Why can’t I have an access code, or a ring, or joint ownership—”

“I thought you were fine with the marriage?” They’ve had this discussion numerous times already.

He stopped at the corner of his desk, frowning at the words. “I was until I realized that Cloud went through the same shit as me and I never got a marriage proposal.”

“You aren’t tied to a well-known family.”

Zack still didn’t like his answer and sat on the end of the large, black desk, holding the ring high above his head. “All of this nonsense for a fucking inheritance?”

“You know Rufus would have gone after Cloud, Zack. My ties to Cloud will prevent that from happening.”

He slammed his fist on the desk, noting that Sephiroth didn’t flinch from his aggression. “There’s a _giant difference_ between pushing me away for my safety versus marrying someone for their safety!”

“What in Gaia’s name is your problem?” Sephiroth asked in annoyance. “We’ve gone over this more times than necessary and I asked everyone if they were okay with my marriage to Cloud. Now suddenly, you are making a fuss over everything you agreed to.” It didn’t make any sense no matter how many times he tried to put himself in their shoes. Admittance meant acceptance, right?

Zack buried his head in his hands and let out an annoyed sound. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be an ass.” He lowered his hands and looked at him. “I’m just frustrated over everything.”

He couldn’t help but notice that Zack has been rather cold ever since he returned from his meeting with Rufus. “I had a feeling something was off, but I didn’t want to pressure you to talk.” He figured it had to do with quitting his job, but now… something else bothered Zack.

“I don’t want a repeat of our former threesome, Seph.”

“That won’t happen.”

“Then why is Cloud getting all of this when I don’t? Wasn’t I the one who had special privileges to your old condo? Or the other shit you trusted me with? Why am I being shut out of your life again? I may not know science, but—”

“I don’t want to endanger you again.” It was that simple.

“So, it’s okay for us to fuck each other and share living expenses in a condo; but it’s not okay for us to have emergency protocols in place? You _do_ realize that whatever happens to Cloud will not only affect me, but two other boyfriends living with us?”

At those words, the doctor widened his eyes when he said, “You know about the assassin, don’t you?”

“Remember that I have a friend who is a Turk.” Although Reno contacted him whenever the planets aligned.

Now he understood why that red-headed bastard grinned at him when they left the Company. “You think I will distance myself from the fivesome until they’ve been caught?”

“I think you will pull Cloud away from us for ‘our safety’,” he made air quotes.

“Hmph. You are very perceptive.”

“There’s someone after Cloud, Seph. What do we do?”

“I just had a call with an old friend. Cloud will have a personal assistant starting next week.”

“Wouldn’t it make more sense to hire a bodyguard?”

“I need someone inconspicuous.” He leaned back in his chair and crossed his leg. “A bodyguard will complicate things. Having a personal assistant means that they can report any suspicious activity along with making sure Cloud has everything he needs for when he starts his new position.” Reeve was ready to make his announcement any day now. All they had to do was wait for Roland to call for the Marshall children to review the inheritance documents.

“Cloud needs better protection than that.” Zack moved to sit in Sephiroth’s lap. The second arms wrapped around him, he sighed and kissed his boyfriend’s cheek. He felt like a giant baby after blowing up about Cloud’s accessibility.

“The personal assistant is trained in self-defense. And to be honest, this will be a good exercise for them to test their abilities as well.”

Zack had a lot more questions about this new personal assistant, but he trusted Sephiroth enough not to downplay his plans. “Do we even know who the assassin is?”

“I do not have an idea, but I suspect it’s someone related to Denise. I believe if she knew about Cloud’s origins, she wouldn’t have told many people.”

She had a lot of friends, that’s for sure. But her friends weren’t exactly trusting either. That narrowed it down to a handful of people. “I’m sorry again, Seph.”

“Don’t apologize for having heightened emotions. I’m still a little… confused by your anger when I don’t really have anything to hide, but I do understand your concerns over the fact that Cloud gets direct access to my company and you don’t.”

“I’m not saying give me your bank account number, or info to everything. I just think if we are all trusting each other this much to where we’re living together, I think everyone has the right to get access to certain things. We’re your boyfriends too, Seph.”

He sighed. “You’re right. I was just worried that I would pull you all into my mess again. After all, I didn’t anticipate Cloud to be related to my ex.”

“No one did. It’s okay to be wrong. It lets the world know that you are still human.”

“I don’t want Cloud’s life played with right underneath my nose. If I can prevent it, then I will.”

“Remember that there’s five of us now. Even if Gen and Ange don’t have to know about what happened in Junon, they should at least be aware of any precautions.” He had a feeling that Seph didn’t want to tell them about the assassin either. While it’s nice to have them informed about anything threatening Cloud, it was best to simply have protocols in place. If everyone grew worried, Cloud would figure it out and panic. He’s been through enough in the city of Midgar.

“Hmph.” The doctor kissed him again. “Law school has made you more demanding.”

“I love Cloud too. I’ll defend the people I love.”

Hearing those words made him so very happy. Zack’s warmth was enough to make him say, “I’m sorry for troubling you, Zack.”

“It’s fine. Just don’t hide anything from us, okay?”

Later, Sephiroth logged out of his computer and placed the USB in his briefcase. As they headed out of the office, Zack spotted a cup in the trash with a familiar logo.

“Is that Cloud’s milkshake?” he asked.

“…Yes.” The doctor pushed him out the door and turned off the lights.

“He’s gonna be mad when he finds out.”

“Technically, I paid for it.”

Zack shook his head, wearing a grin on his face. “I love you, Seph.”

“I love you too,” he replied before grabbing his hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These conversations needed to happen.


	8. Chapter Eight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I spent 10 seconds editing this so please excuse any missed errors because I'm tired of looking at this draft.
> 
> Thank you all so much for the comments. It really means a lot to me! Sorry I haven't replied to everyone but I feel awkward when I see them late as hell lol.
> 
> So this chapter is 80% porn and has some slight kinky elements to it. Mostly dirty talk, but I want to be sure to give the right warnings just in case.

Angeal sensed something was off.

It all started yesterday when he found Zack and Genesis in an embrace. At first, he was excited that Genesis stopped harassing Zack. After Cloud confessed, Genesis was a lot less hostile around everyone, particularly the one person Cloud fell in love with first. Angeal later heard that Cloud and Genesis had sex in the car, which was secretly on Gen’s bucket list. His goal was to ‘fully bless his most important purchase’ by having sex with everyone in the fivesome. Angeal did the deed many times before they met the others, and he suspected that Zack was next. Genesis was the type to save the best (Sephiroth) for last.

But after that surprising turn of event, Genesis just seemed nonchalant about everything.

The sudden mood drop told Angeal that something else needed to be shared. The chef asked if he was okay, in which Genesis replied with a silent nod. Angeal tried several ways to keep Genesis engaged in conversation, but his efforts quickly fell flat. Nobody said anything else as they prepared for bed.

Cloud later joined them after he spoke to Zack. Apparently, Seph went to work again and Zack left to drag him away from the office. But the second Cloud and Genesis locked eyes, they both looked rather tense. Genesis, with his back propped against the headboard, eventually focused his attention back to his book and turned the page.

“Zack knows him better than any of us.”

Angeal didn’t hear jealousy in his tone, but there was an underlying emotion hidden behind those words.

With a grunt, he dropped the barbell on the gym mat and placed his hands on his hips, catching his breath. Always each other’s shadows, he knew Genesis for as long as they could remember. Moving to Midgar became the best and worst decision as it tested their relationship. Nobody predicted that their traumatic experiences would not only bring them closer, but leave wounds so deep that they knew it would take decades to recover— _if_ they could ever recover.

However, whenever something bothered Genesis, he always found ways to distract his thoughts. Again, kissing Zack was a miracle, but Angeal found it hard to believe that sex with Cloud was enough to initiate a make-out session with Zack. Something else happened after Gen’s return from the dance school.

Or maybe he was just being paranoid. Forrest once said that he didn’t like the way Genesis had a hold over his childhood friend.

_“Is there ever a day where Genesis isn’t on your mind?”_

Zack approached Angeal with two water bottles. “Sorry it took so long. This dude was trying to ask for my number.” He handed him a bottle.

Angeal took several gulps before gasping for air. “Ah, I remember those days.” The gym used to be his hookup playground.

“Remember when Tifa came with us and she drew a lot of attention?” He snickered at the memory. Aerith couldn’t join them that time, but she was pretty annoyed when she found out.

“Now I understand why she trains alone.”

Afterwards, they left the gym and headed back to the penthouse. The thoughts never left Angeal’s mind as he drove the car down the streets.

“You know,” Zack began, “we have a gym at home.”

“Yeah, but it’s nice training in a different environment.”

“Do you think we’ll have a choice once Cloud and Seph go public?”

Angeal gripped the steering wheel. “Then if that’s the case, we can’t have our scheduled alone time with them either.”

“I know we wanna act normal and stuff, but it’s gonna be awkward walking around with a Marshall heir when everybody will know that he’s married to Seph.” The reality finally began to sink in as he realized that Sephiroth was _absolutely_ right...

“If the paparazzi has a hard time getting candid photos of Seph, then surely it can happen for Cloud as well.” Sephiroth was very good at separating his public and private lives. “We just need to tone it down for everyone’s sake.”

Zack already had this talk with Seph, but he still hated the idea of not relaxing on his days off with Cloud. “Good luck saying that to Gen.” Genesis may be a professor, but he was still _Genesis._

“Speaking of him, did he seem off to you?”

“Not really.” He shifted in his seat when he remembered their kiss. Arousal stirred between his legs, forcing him to let out a heavy sigh. Blood flow after exercise did not make anything easier either. _We did a one-eighty compared to last year._

Angeal looked defeated once he reached another dead end. He must be overthinking things like he suspected. “Anyway, we need to be careful once the shit hits the fan.”

Zack looked at him in surprise. “Wow, hearing you curse is kinda hot.”

“Hush.”

They returned to the penthouse while continuing their conversation until Zack wrapped his arms around Angeal’s waist.

“I, uh, can we… y’know…?” Zack longed to have Angeal inside him again. The last time it happened, a certain someone got pissed. Thankfully, things smoothed out over the past year, and Zack was far more than ready to take advantage of the peace.

The chef chuckled, knowing what he hinted at and pulled Zack closer for a kiss.

Meanwhile, Cloud lounged on the couch texting his new friend Kunsel. He forgot to message him back because he was one hundred percent distracted by Genesis. Kunsel asked him to hang out last night, and Cloud felt awful for not saying anything.

K: When I first met you, I assumed you would be a quick texter.

C: I have a life you know.

K: Ouch. 😩

K: So, still cool for hanging out later today?

C: Sure. I’m in between jobs right now so I have time.

K: Hm. Curious to know what you do for a living?

Cloud looked at the ceiling in thought, trying to find the appropriate words. Saying ‘vice chair of a big corporation’ didn’t seem like a good idea. Sephiroth warned him to keep his life as private as possible until Roland finally made his move. The blond hated living in secret, but he was willing to compromise for now.

C: Engineer. Architectural engineer.

K: Beauty and brains. I like that in a fellow.

He rolled his eyes at the words. He’s been with plenty of men to know exactly where that headed. _This is like Love Twice all over again._

C: I’m gonna be upfront with you. If you wanna sleep with me then find someone else. I’m not in the mood to deal with another fuckboy scam.

K: Beauty, brains, *and* aggression. I like that in a fellow.

C: 🙄

K: But in all seriousness, that wasn’t my intent. I just want to make friends here, remember?

C: I wish I could believe you.

K: Then give me a chance to prove that I am a man of good faith. Meet me at The Lakefront sometime later.

Cloud’s weakness was pushy men, which often got him in trouble. Texting made it complicated to pick up a person’s intentions, but Kunsel honestly didn’t seem like a bad guy. He seemed to be more interested in new friendships, like he insisted. Though, he didn’t bother to get Aerith and Tifa’s numbers…

C: Fine. What time?

K: Later this afternoon. I gotta run a few errands first, but I’ll be free by 2 PM.

C: Yeah, I can make it.

K: Cool. See you then.

K: And please don’t forget bc it’s too cold outside for me to wait around.

C: Why not wait for me in one of those cozy restaurants?

K: I heard the Lakefront is where all the rich folks frequent. Maybe I’ll catch a rich guy in an open marriage or something if I stand out there long enough. 😂😂

He almost dropped his phone on his face if it wasn’t for his quick reflex. Instead of panicking over the fact that his new friend hit close to home, Cloud was more surprised that Tifa and Aerith's suspicions about Kunsel’s preferences were correct.

He heard soft moans coming from behind the couch and slowly lifted his head with a frown. His eyes widened at the scene before him and he ducked back down in shock.

Zack and Angeal were _making out_ and _taking off_ each other’s clothes. They just got back from the gym, which meant that they were— _oh_ _gods_.

Zack panted when Angeal kissed down his neck. He dragged his nails down his back, stopping to tug the hem of his shirt. The chef briefly broke the kiss to yank it off his body before smashing his lips against Zack’s again. The two were deeply engaged in their kiss that they barely registered ever breaking away again to take off the rest of their clothes.

Angeal pushed Zack back against the table, in which the student gripped the edge as hands helped him step out of his pants. He knelt in front of Zack’s hard cock and licked the head, reveling in the loud groan coming from the man above him. His tongue licked all around the slit before he slowly took more of Zack into his mouth. Hands gripped his hair, and a leg was now propped on his shoulder. The new angle gave him more room to lightly tease his entrance.

Zack caught bright blue eyes watching him drown in pleasure. With shaky breaths, he held Cloud’s gaze, partly amused that neither mentioned a voyeur in the room. The glimmer of lust from those baby blues hinted that he also enjoyed watching his two boyfriends engage in foreplay. Zack moaned and looked down at Angeal when a tongue fluttered against the slit of his cock again, again, and _again_. Angeal was a fucking tease at giving head; his modesty over his bedroom techniques was something Genesis _always_ hated.

Cloud stroked his cock as he watched them, sucking his bottom lip when his attention remained on Zack’s face. He should be embarrassed that he got caught, but he couldn’t look away. He gripped the back of the couch while he grinded against his other hand, still suppressing his voice as best as he could. A loud whimper escaped his lips as his eyes focused on Angeal bobbing his head between Zack’s legs. Fuck, all that sweat on Angeal’s back suddenly made him thirsty.

“Gods…” he uttered before he could stop himself. At the quirk of Zack’s lips from his sounds, Cloud ducked back down on the couch and slapped a hand over his mouth. His strokes increased in pace while intently listening to Angeal’s slurps and smack of his lips. He closed his eyes and pictured Angeal using that moment to run his tongue down Zack’s—

Zack tossed his head back with a groan when Angeal sucked on his balls. He guided Angeal’s movements with a tighter grip of his hair, hoping he wasn’t being too rough. He glanced back at the couch, where he could no longer see Cloud, but he knew his boyfriend wouldn’t suddenly leave the room. _Cloudy, are you loving this?_

Cloud bit the back of his hand to suppress his moans. He stopped his strokes and poured more lube onto his palm. Thank the gods they all tucked bottles of lube around the penthouse or else the mood would break from having to rush around the giant place looking for one.

When Zack came, his hips twitched as one of the best orgasms in a long, long time forced a shudder down his spine. His hands held Angeal’s head in place as he still came. “Ffuuck!” He was grateful for the table maintaining his balance.

Angeal pulled back with warm cum in his mouth. He quickly stood and spat it in Zack’s mouth, who eagerly took it all. Zack and Cloud were notorious for snowballing, which made things a lot easier for him.

Cloud became frustrated when he had yet to climax. He let out another whimper when he heard Zack come and couldn’t join him right after. Something wasn’t right about this. Anything that sounded like horny Zack should have been enough to make him come, but nothing happened. His body tensed as his orgasm approached, but when he teetered on the edge, he wouldn’t experience what he loved so much. _Shit._

Angeal broke their kiss and bumped their noses with a wide grin. “Sorry. I rarely swallow.”

“S’fine,” he replied with a lopsided grin. Indigo eyes peered behind him before landing back on Angeal’s handsome face. He held a finger against his lips and mouthed, _Cloud_.

With a confused expression, he glanced back towards the couch, then grinned when it dawned on him. Granted, he wanted privacy with Zack, but if Cloud was also here then might as well not leave him out of their fun. There will be plenty of opportunities with Zack in the future. He nodded and tiptoed towards the place where Cloud remained hidden from them. Zack walked around the opposite side of Angeal and knelt next to the blond’s ankles.

When Cloud slowly opened his eyes and met Angeal’s heated gaze, he moaned and stroked faster. “Please…”

Zack spread Cloud’s legs and picked up the bottle of lube from the floor. “Cloudy, Cloudy, you know you can beg better than that.”

_Not again…_ Cloud smelled musk and tilted his head back to see Angeal stroking his thick cock. “Fuuuck, I wanna taste you…” Then he had an idea. “Both of you.”

Zack paused from rubbing his lube-coated hands and noticed that his own cock was still hard. _This happened before._ “Huh…” He glanced at Angeal with a smirk. “Well?”

Cloud was suddenly on his knees between his two standing boyfriends. Donned in his oversized shirt (that once belonged to Angeal), both his hands were occupied with hard, leaky cocks. He leaned forward to take Angeal in his mouth. All he could smell was musk, which caused him to hit that glorious space where he wanted nothing more than to make this man come. He pulled back with a loud gasp and switched over to Zack’s cock.

Zack stroked blond strands with lidded eyes. He playfully tugged at his hair, murmuring words of encouragement. Cloud’s glazed over eyes held his gaze as he took more of him into his mouth.

Angeal helped Cloud maintain his strokes on his cock, all the while completely turned on by watching the blond do what he does best. Cloud’s mouth returned to his cock and his breath hitched from a tongue circling around its head. “Cloud…”

Cloud couldn’t get enough of simultaneously playing with two cocks. At one point, he asked Zack and Angeal to stand closer together so he could attempt to suck both of their cocks at the same time. When he immediately gagged from having his mouth stretched wide, he heard a gasp followed by a breathy curse.

“Holy fuck…” It was Angeal.

The blond coughed a few times and wiped his chin. “Hearing you curse is _really_ hot.”

Zack smoothed back Cloud’s damp bangs with a chuckle. “Glad I’m not the only one.”

“I want Angeal to come,” he whispered, before swallowing Angeal’s huge cock in one go. Once upon a time, he struggled with Angeal’s size; but now, he hardly ever gagged after practicing on him more than enough times.

It wasn’t long before Angeal tightened his grip on Cloud’s hair as he flooded that sinful mouth with his essence. He came with a loud moan, holding Cloud’s head in place while his hips jerked from the sheer force of his orgasm. Cloud’s oral skills will be the death of him.

Cloud felt Angeal’s cock twitch inside his mouth and coat his tongue with warm, salty fluids. He quickly pulled back after he struggled to breathe, trying not to cough and waste cum sliding down his chin.

Zack immediately pulled him to stand and licked the cooling trail before sliding his tongue inside his mouth. He grabbed Cloud’s head to deepen their kiss, tasting the rest of Angeal before Cloud swallowed it all. He didn’t care that they couldn’t engage in cumplay, but was more focused on the fact that the last time they had sex was before the Biennial Party.

The blond jerked his head back to stare at him, hardly aware of the thin string of spit-mixed-cum stretched between them. Blue eyes gazed into indigo ones before they kissed again. His hands reached behind Zack and cupped his ass, moaning into the kiss. He felt their hard cocks bump against each other from their frantic movements and groaned even louder. Zack easily swallowed his cries and Cloud dragged his nails up to the middle of his back.

Zack pushed Cloud back onto the giant U-shaped couch and didn’t wait for him to sit up as he quickly climbed over his body. Cloud yanked his head down for another kiss, this time wrapping his legs around his waist. A loud cry escaped his lips when his boyfriend’s hands slid underneath his shirt.

Angeal sat close to Cloud’s head, aroused from watching their exchange. He thought he would feel left out after they ignored him, but realized that Zack and Cloud haven’t had their moment together in a long, long time.

Cloud pushed Zack away and rolled over to prop himself on his hands and knees in front of Angeal. The two kissed until Cloud whispered, “Sorry…”

For some reason, those words meant a lot to him. Maybe he _was_ jealous by Zack and Cloud’s interactions. Now he understood how Cloud felt when he first joined the fivesome. “It’s okay, really.”

He licked down his chest, stopping to flick his tongue across a dusky nipple. “I want it rough.” He cried when two fingers slid inside his ass. “Uhn!”

“Nah, we’re gonna be gentle today, Cloudy,” Zack whispered.

“Mmf!” he bit his bottom lip and rolled his hips against the sensation. “No! Fuck me _hard_!”

Angeal remembered that when Cloud reached this headspace during sex, he became an insatiable mess. But one thing he noticed was that Cloud responded to commands if one was assertive enough. Genesis pointed out ages ago that their mountain nymph loved it when his boyfriends took charge in the bedroom, despite his pleas. In the end, Cloud always got what he wanted, but maybe it was time for that to happen in a _less_ _predictable_ manner. “No. We will be gentle like Zack says.” He nodded at the student watching him. Zack wasn’t Genesis when it came to reading his expressions, but he was a quick learner.

Zack maintained eye contact with him, spotting the humorous glint in the chef’s eyes. Something told him that Angeal had a plan, and given that Cloud reached this part of foreplay, it probably involved not repeating their methods the last time all three of them were together. Instead of calming down Cloud, why not play into his desires? “Who gave you the right to tell us what to do?” He decided to add a third finger inside his ass. Cloud clutched Angeal’s chest with another loud cry, which made Zack also say, “Dirty little slut.”

The blond whimpered at his words. He loved it when they called him names during sex. “I’m… not a… slut.”

“Aww, but sluts don’t like it gentle.”

He also loved provoking them to keep doing it until they lost control and fucked him senseless. “Y’all act so tough but I know ‘ya wanna fuck me like ‘ya mean it.” He licked down Angeal’s chest and moved towards his other nipple. The chef was already stretched across the giant couch, which made it easier to settle between his legs.

Zack turned his head to the side with a grin, trying not to laugh at how fucking _adorable_ Cloud was with his accent. To know that Cloud was still able to form sentences in the middle of foreplay told him that Angeal made the right call. _Carefully bring him out of that headspace before he became overwhelmed._

Angeal grabbed blond strands and tugged his head back. “Be nice or else we stop right now.” It would be hard to follow through with his words, but the fear on Cloud’s face made him content.

“N-No! I—” He moaned when Zack’s fingers hit his prostate.

He slid a thumb in his mouth. “Apologize.”

His eyes briefly closed from Zack hitting that spot over and over until he almost forgot Angeal’s command. “Fuck _you_!”

Angeal let out a sigh. “Zack, stop.”

The student hesitated, wondering if he was bluffing. But the sharp gaze coming from Angeal gave him an answer. He slowly pulled out his fingers, breath hitching at Cloud’s stretched entrance twitching from the abrupt end.

“Fuck!” Cloud exclaimed as he steadied himself on Angeal’s shoulders. “Oh fuck, please! I’m sorry! Please Ange, I-I was kidding! I—”

“Shh…” He cupped his cheek, in which Cloud leaned into the palm of his hand with a dazed expression. Angeal carefully watched his face for any signs of discomfort. He didn’t want to push Cloud beyond his limits as part of his game. “Just say you’re sorry and we’ll let you have your orgasm.”

“I’m… sorry…”

“Hmm, that didn’t seem very convincing.” He caught Zack’s surprised expression. “What do you think?”

“I… think… Cloud can do better than that…?” He didn’t sound fully sure of himself, but he was too horny from Angeal turning this into a slight kinky session.

In a panic, Cloud licked his lips and tried to come up with the right words. It wasn’t then until he remembered what he did with Seph last year. “I’m sorry… Sir…”

Zack’s eyes widened when Angeal smiled at Cloud. The chef kissed Cloud without another word, sliding his fingers between soft cheeks and circling his entrance. That’s when Zack kindly poured more lube onto Angeal’s fingers.

Cloud arched his back with a loud moan as thick appendages slid inside. Two fingers quickly became three, and he could no longer think. He only wanted a cock in his ass and begged Angeal to give him what he _craved._

“Ride me, then,” Angeal whispered before kissing his forehead. 

No matter how many times he sank down Angeal’s thick cock, he was always left breathless by his boyfriend’s size. “Gods!”

Angeal guided his movements, tightening his hold over the lithe blond. He began thrusting upwards without giving Cloud time to adjust. “We’ll still be gentle with you.”

Cloud didn’t understand why they kept saying that when they were doing the exact opposite of gentle. But at this point, he really didn’t care what they did to him as long as he got his orgasm. “Harder.”

The chef slowed his movements, grinning at the annoyed whine from his cute boyfriend. “Don’t make me stop again, Cloud.”

He begged for him not to do that and cried for Zack to say or do anything. Zack was too busy stroking his cock while watching them fuck. “Just do as he says, babe.”

Biting his bottom lip again, he whimpered from Angeal’s agonizing pace. He wanted it fast and rough, but Angeal ignored his cries like some kind of torture game. His boyfriends knew what he liked during sex and they always taunted him with slow, painful thrusts. _Fucking wreck me._

As if he read his mind, Angeal kissed Cloud again before asking, “Zack? Would you like to join us?”

The student was confused at first, mostly because he was too busy watching Angeal’s cock disappear inside Cloud’s ass, but then it clicked when he realized where he was going with the question. “I…” _Was it safe to do that with Cloud?_

Cloud tightened his hold on the chef’s shoulders with a groan. “Fuck yeah. I want both of you again.”

“You keep talking like this and I’ll be sure to fuck Zack while you’re left hungry,” Angeal said as he grabbed Cloud’s chin and forced him to meet his gaze.

He stifled his reply, partly turned on from Angeal cursing and partly worried that he would do that without hesitation. Taking deep shaky breaths, he grinded his ass against his boyfriend’s lap and mewled when the tip of Angeal’s cock bumped his prostate.

Zack didn’t hesitate any longer when he poured a lot of lube on his hard cock. He stroked his shaft, never taking his eyes off Cloud as Angeal once again slid two fingers inside Cloud’s ass. The blond buried his face in the crook of Angeal’s neck with a loud cry.

“Breathe, Cloud,” Angeal whispered as he kissed his temple. His eyes landed on Zack, who crawled closer to Cloud.

“I… Ahhh! I…” Oh _fuck_. If Angeal’s fingers _and_ cock felt like this, then how intense was it once Zack—”

Cloud almost fainted when Zack carefully pushed his cock inside to join Angeal. The chef removed his fingers and muttered soft words of encouragement in his ear.

Angeal spread Cloud’s cheeks wide enough to ease Zack’s entry, and didn’t move in order for the blond to adjust to two cocks in his ass. “You’re doing so well.”

Zack shivered from tight heat and the feel of Angeal’s cock pressed against his. Never in his life has he given or received double penetration. And _by the gods_ he missed out on something dirty as fuck. Cloud trembled beneath him and he kissed the back of his neck. “Let us know if it’s too much, okay?”

“Nn… make me forget my name…” he muttered.

Angeal snorted in blond strands and altered his hold on him. “Gently, remember?” He rolled his hips a few times and groaned from the feeling. Tight heat clamped harder on his cock, forcing him to _not_ get too rough.

Cloud’s moans increased in volume the longer his two boyfriends found a rhythm and position to really give it to him good. Zack pressed his face against his shirt and groaned from the feeling. The student trusted Angeal to set the right pace, and it wasn’t long before the two of them kissed over Cloud’s head.

“Fuck…” Zack cursed as he stared into Angeal’s face. This was incredible. “I dunno if I c—”

Cloud came with a sharp cry, body trembling from the intensity of his orgasm. He didn’t want this to end so soon, but the ragged breaths, painful stretch, and smell of his boyfriends overstimulated his entire being. He’s never taken two cocks before, and it was all too much for him to stave off his orgasm. “Fuck! Oh fuck!”

Zack swallowed the lump in his throat after hearing Cloud shout curses through his orgasm Cloud’s ass tightened even further, and it was enough for him to thrust one—two more times before he also came.

Angeal gasped at the feel of hot cum leaking out of Cloud’s ass and splashing onto his chest. He came with a grunt, thrusting even faster without thinking as his cock jerked and twitched inside the blond.

Cloud saw stars behind his closed eyes. He groaned as cum dripped out of his ass and down his inner thighs. He wished he had a camera because he wanted to see just how well-fucked he looked from another perspective. A lazy grin formed on his face as he rubbed his cheek against Angeal’s sweaty chest. “Mm… maybe I am a slut…”

That earned him snickers and kisses. The blond suddenly felt sleepy and didn’t hear Zack’s dirty remark as he passed out.

Angeal noticed Cloud’s slumber when he heard light snoring. Someday, he’d like to know how Cloud could fall asleep so fast. It could be due to the meds, but Cloud often did it after rough fucks. “Zack, could you get some water and towels?”

“Sure.” He slowly pulled out, letting out a shaky breath when his cock slipped free and more cum dribbled onto the couch. Angeal followed soon after and he was now aware of how much they came.

_We should start making sex tapes…_

Zack later returned with two glasses of water and several towels draped across his shoulder. He spotted an unconscious Cloud snuggling on Angeal while cum _still_ dripped out of his ass. This was a nice scene to come back to, but, “I can’t believe he passed out when we were the ones lifting cars at the gym!” he exclaimed.

Angeal chuckled and stroked Cloud’s hair. “Be glad it wasn’t leg day today.”

“Funny how workout pain temporarily vanishes when our dicks are getting sucked.” He handed him a glass.

His amusement switched to full blown embarrassed laughter. “Stop it, you!”

They wiped sweat and cum from their bodies and snuggled on the couch. Thankfully, it was big enough for them to lounge together and still have more room for the others to sit if they were around. Cloud was still knocked out even after Angeal cleaned him up. Zack and Angeal decided to savor the moment while they had the chance.

“I have to ask, but were you also heavily involved in the kink scene like Genesis?” Zack asked as he idly trailed his fingers down Angeal’s leg. His threesome with Angeal and Sephiroth last year hinted that Angeal knew more than anyone would have guessed. It wasn’t until just now that he realized that if Genesis was involved in something, Angeal would surely do it as well.

“Sort of. We were mentored by the same person when we first got started. But Gen’s tastes became more sadistic than mine, so he found another sadist to help him satiate his—uh—cravings.” Sucked that it had to be Luke who noticed Gen’s bloodlust. To this day, Angeal felt awful for not stopping the Harlowes from corrupting Genesis.

“What made you realize that you liked it?” Zack was more surprised that Angeal played the role so well. While Seph was mean, Angeal was firm, but still kind to those who tried to challenge his authority.

“The look on Gen’s face when we had our first scene together.” He will also never forget the sounds Genesis made each time the flogger landed on him. He threatened everyone in the room ‘once the cuffs were loosened,’ which made Angeal hit him even harder. Back then, Angeal didn’t trust anyone topping him or Genesis. In fact, he didn’t trust anyone to be his scene partner for the night _except_ Gen. However, Genesis continued without him and often lost control during his sessions, which often led to—

Angeal glanced down at Cloud, who barely moved an inch. “You know, Genesis used to be a lot like Cloud the more I think about it.”

“When Gen said he was his ‘mini-me’ he wasn’t kidding, huh?”

“Sad to say that the one person who knows Gen best didn’t believe it until… just this week.” The major difference between the two was that Genesis liked to push people over the edge. Cloud liked to fight back to some extent, but still recognized boundaries.

Seph mentioned last night that he wanted to talk to Angeal about introducing kink to the fivesome again. Zack was excited over the idea and readily agreed that it would be so much fun now that they lived together. “Well, if you want… I’d like to scene with you sometime.”

That made Angeal meet his gaze. “Really?”

“Yeah, but I want to make sure everyone will be okay with it.”

The chef still wasn’t sure if he was ready to dive back into that world after what happened with Luke and Genesis. But this morning proved that he could indulge in some fun without suffering any consequences. Out of the five of them, Cloud had the least experience. Zack and Sephiroth claimed to be familiar with the basics, but it was Genesis who had the most experience. However, if Genesis became reminded of who he used to be, no telling what he would do if given the chance again. “Beware that Gen still hasn’t opened his other Corel package for you.”

“Just _what_ did he buy?”

“…It’s a secret.”

“If it involves something way too extreme, then I’m out.” Then again _, anything_ involving Genesis Rhapsodos was something to fear.

“Don’t worry. Before any of us get hot and heavy, we need to make our lists.” He’d love to know what Zack and Cloud preferred when it came to certain roles. Genesis said that Cloud had a hidden darkness beneath those baby blues, but Angeal sensed that Cloud didn’t want to get involved in heavy kink that could potentially trigger something from his past relationships.

Maybe it was time for The Gentle Dom and Sanguine to return from their hiatus.


	9. Chapter Nine

“ _Gentle_ , he said…” Cloud muttered as he searched the couch for his phone. He tossed the pillows aside while ignoring the dull ache in his ass. Seph told him about a new brand of painkillers that replaced the ointment he always used. About an hour after taking them, Cloud felt all his problems vanish. He found his new holy grail after rough sex.

After the three cleaned up in the shower, Cloud was more embarrassed over the fact that he acted like a toddler who didn’t get his favorite toy. He couldn’t think of a better analogy at the moment, but Angeal insisted that he enjoyed their morning. Zack, on the other hand, was too busy repeating what was said when they fucked.

Angeal shoved the portable steam cleaner in his arms. “Zack, come on.”

“Whaaat? I’m just joking around!” he exclaimed with a not-so-innocent grin.

Cloud glared at him. “I still wanna know why y’all said gentle when there was _none_ of that?”

“To keep you in suspense,” the chef replied. “I noticed that whenever you get to that begging stage, you quickly become more… needy when we fight back.” He then realized that it was often short-lived because who could turn down a writhing blond begging for cock? “When we give in to your requests, you then get overconfident. I thought it was best that you kept hearing one thing when our actions said another.”

Angeal was right because yesterday’s date with Genesis still ended in sex, even when Genesis said that every date didn’t have to end that way… All because he got horny after doing something _illegal_. Practically everyone in the fivesome said that he needed to work on his self-control during sex, but Cloud couldn’t help it. His mind grew numb whenever he sucked dick, or had fingers in his ass. He was so used to his exes wanting a quick fuck that he _still_ struggled to accept that he had four beautiful boyfriends who knew how to properly make love to him. His blush grew tenfold when he also realized that for the first time ever in his life, he got two cocks in his ass and it felt _amazing_.

_I wanna do that again…_

Zack pressed one of the buttons and got excited when steam puffed from the cleaner. “I feel so fancy.”

“Where the hell is my phone?” Cloud asked as he dropped to the floor and looked under the couch.

“When did you last have it?” Angeal asked.

“Y’all walked in here sucking face and then I dissociated when Zack moaned.” He reached underneath the couch as far as he could go and rejoiced when he touched his precious device. “Found it.” How the fuck did it slide that far?

Zack stared intently at the steam cleaner practically suck every particle off the couch. “Good thing Seph’s a neat freak ‘cuz imagine if you went under a stranger’s couch and discovered items from hell.”

Cloud checked his phone for any new messages from Kunsel but found none. “I gotta head out later.”

“Where to?” Angeal asked as he watched Zack zone out.

“Meeting up with a new friend in sector seven,” he replied before standing. “I should be back around dinnertime.”

Zack blinked out of his daze, remembering that there was someone out there who wanted Cloud dead. Seph said that this personal assistant wouldn’t be around until next week, but given the circumstances, that was still far too long. “Uh, before you leave, wait for me? I’ll walk you over there.”

“Huh? I can navigate the city just fine.”

“I need to hit up sector seven too, actually.”

With a frown, he watched Zack go back to cleaning the pillows. First, Gen got all pushy over a text message; now Zack heard sector seven and acted like he wanted to return to the scene of the crime for nostalgia’s sake. “You’re not… _suspecting_ anything, are you?”

The student shook his head, trying hard not to meet Angeal’s curious gaze. “Nah. I just wanna run an errand before classes start. I told you that my schedule was brutal this semester.” Well, that last part was not a lie at least.

“Then where do you plan on going?”

“Shop around.” He paused and looked at him. “Wait, why are you asking me?”

“None of us have a reason to go all the way out there anymore when we’re living in the heart of Midgar.”

“The heart of Midgar is also not far from Heaven’s Gate. I can’t afford to shop around here.”

He was right, but Cloud wanted him to confess that he was gonna snoop and see if this would be a repeat of last year. “You can do whatever, but please don’t escort me like I’m a kid. I’m only there to hang out with a new friend, nothing more.” Maybe he should have lied and said he would be with Tifa instead.

Zack hated that his reaction made Cloud jump to that conclusion. However, Seph made him promise not to tell anyone about the assassin. Keeping secrets was a bad idea, especially when the last time that happened everything went downhill. Moreover, the assassin would stir another fight among the fivesome regarding who would protect Cloud. Sephiroth was the best candidate for obvious reasons. Plus, he wouldn’t allow his emotions to affect him.

But the more Zack understood Angeal’s personality, the more he agreed with Seph about his inability to sleep next to someone who would blow a fuse over these secrets. Angeal wasn’t the type who would keep that information from Genesis for long. Though, it was still hard to gauge Angeal’s reaction _if_ he ever learned about Luke’s involvement.

“Zack? Are you there?” Angeal called.

He quickly shook out of his reverie and turned off the steam cleaner. “Sorry, I got too excited with this thing.”

Cloud huffed and placed a hand on his hip. “I asked what time will you be done with your so-called shopping? I am not sure how long we’ll be out.”

“Er, not sure. I know what I need, but it depends on what stores have them in stock and all…”

He grew irritated over having to adjust his schedule because one of his boyfriends didn’t trust him. “Well, if you want, I can share my location with you. That way you’ll know if I went to a love hotel or not.”

Angeal gave him a pointed look. His reaction was _too much_ like Genesis. “Cloud, don’t start.”

“I’m saying what’s on his mind, Ange.” He acted like a brat once again, but he was also aware that he was a grown man capable of making his own decisions. “I know our one-year cheating anniversary is right around the corner.”

Gods, something _definitely_ happened between Cloud and Genesis yesterday. The only two people in the worst moods happen to also be the same people who spent a day together. “Zack, just go on without Cloud.”

Zack was already pissed over Cloud’s response. He wanted to shout, _‘There’s a fucking killer out there and you’re more concerned about my feelings about this friend of yours?!’_ But kept his cool and said something much worse. “Fine. Maybe I’ll go to another sector and shop around in hopes that I won’t see you there either.” It was a low blow, but he had to get the last word. He was already irritated over not telling everyone what’s really going on. Cloud should know that he wasn’t the type to get jealous so quickly. And who knows, what if this new friend was an undercover assassin?

“Zack Fair. _Out_!” Angeal exclaimed.

“Don’t forget that I’m not the _only_ person in our group who has a reputation with bed hopping just to keep notes in a black book!” Cloud shouted back before Angeal put a hand over his mouth.

Vile. So fucking _vile._ "At least I can remember who I fucked." Zack gave Cloud the middle finger before tossing the pillows on the couch. He never bothered with straightening them up and left without another glace. _Little shit._

Angeal gestured for Cloud to sit on the other side of the couch. They better make up later because throwing past issues as insults was not a healthy thing to do. Genesis was notorious for that but stopped when he realized how much his words hurt others. “What the hell has gotten into you? What happened between you and Genesis yesterday?”

At the question, the blond abruptly calmed down. “What do you mean?”

“Sit.” When Cloud did as he was told, Angeal sat next to him with a sigh. “You and Genesis are acting peculiar. Did something happen?”

He nervously licked his lips. “No,” he quickly answered. Gods, he was a terrible liar, and he didn’t have enough time to practice in case he got interrogated. Somehow, he was able to avoid telling Genesis about Luke—probably because he was unconscious when it happened. Yet, he was very much aware of his actions when he stole all those clothes. “No. What makes you think that?”

Angeal’s intuition told him that Cloud wasn’t telling the truth, but he didn’t want to force him to say something he didn’t feel comfortable sharing just yet. “Genesis is moody for some reason and I still don’t know why. Now it’s rubbing off on you because you aren’t the type to start arguments, let alone say those things.”

“I think part of it is that Gen is stressed about his new writing project.” Which was sort of true because right after they finished fucking, Gen mentioned that he received inspiration for 7Neves’s new album. That may also be why he went to the recording studio earlier than usual this morning.

Ah, that may actually be the case. “Then why do you seem a bit irritated?”

“Because, Ange, I finally made a new friend and the second I mention him, I’m getting questioned.” He told him about Gen’s distrust as well, leaving out the other major details. Cloud felt awful for telling Gen that he worked best with others rather than just Angeal. He tried to say that polyamory worked better for them because it allowed more freedom. Plain and simple. _Gods, I’m so bad at communicating._

Angeal slowly nodded, mulling over Cloud’s words. Huh, perhaps Cloud got into a fight with Gen over this issue too? “Okay, I can understand your frustrations a little better.” Honestly, this should all be corrected overnight. “I was worried that you and Gen did something that warranted guilt.”

Cloud’s heartbeat increased the longer he remained quiet. _Oh fuck, oh fuck!_ He didn’t want to blurt out anything that would piss off Angeal. Instead, he nodded and tried to find something else to talk about. “I-I know I have flaws, but there’s—uh— more to life outside of the people I’m dating, you know?”

“I understand.” He still wasn’t satisfied with his answers. “Are you also worried about the marriage publicity?”

_Thanks for helping me lie to you._ “I’m legit sitting here waiting for some stupid letter while everyone else gets to have a normal life!” He angrily sighed. “I haven’t even touched my sketchbook in _days_ because I don’t have the motivation to do anything but masturbate and eat.” _Even though I can’t come anymore without someone’s help._ But that will be a conversation for another day.

“Hm. Sounds like the life if you ask me.” He laughed at the cute glare. “But in all seriousness, I wouldn’t stress. You’re under our care now—mainly Seph’s—so you should relax and enjoy this time off before your life grows complicated again.” He heard the door slam in the distance and figured he’d talk to Zack after dinner.

“It’s gonna be hard keeping friends around once my face is on television, huh?” Tifa and Aerith have been with him since his first arrival to Midgar. But how would he be able to prevent them from getting caught in his latest soap opera event? He needed to ask them about that…

“Unless you make rich friends. Then you can introduce me to them.”

Cloud snorted. “Thank you, Ange. And… I’m sorry for being a brat again…”

“Your apology should be reserved for Zack.”

He remained quiet, nervously twisting the hem of his shirt. _He probably hates me now._ “Okay.”

“At least you’re willing to cooperate. If I were talking to Gen, I’d have to wait a few days.” Or years, depending on the severity of the argument.

That sweet laughter was something to be treasured; but after they parted from their kiss, Angeal’s concern never went away.

* * *

Kunsel forgot how to breathe when a familiar face approached him. He remembered Cloud to be beautiful, but watching the blond either ignore or remain unfazed by the curious glances from strangers told him that he should have waited a little longer before he was ready to interact with pretty boys. His last ex was cute, but far from the beauty standing before him. “Good evening.”

Cloud stopped walking and frowned. “It’s two o’clock?”

_A minute in and I’m already failing at this._ “Good afternoon.”

Staring at the brown-eyed, handsome man before him, Cloud noticed that Kunsel had a small mole next to his left eye. _Huh, I never noticed that before._ “Did you wait long?”

“No. I was busy people-watching.” He gestured to the shopping outlet. “Shall we?”

Cloud took his time on the train to relax and not think about Zack or the others. He didn’t want to ruin his afternoon by bringing bad energy around a friend. “I know a couple of places we can check out.”

Kunsel walked beside him, careful not to get too close or else he’d struggle with inappropriately brushing up against Cloud. Donned in an all-black outfit, he felt more like a bodyguard than anything. “Just letting you know that I can’t afford the fancy restaurants just yet. I can treat you to the Fat Chocobo, or one of those shady places at Wallmarket, but that’s about it.”

Cloud almost tripped during their walk, looking at him in shock. “You’ve been to Wallmarket?!”

“Yeah. That’s how I bumped into you at that bar. I just left there.”

“For a newbie, you sure are brave.”

“How so?”

“Cause not many people can cruise the slums like they can above the Plate.”

Kunsel grinned at the statement. It sounded like Cloud was aware of the types of businesses that ran down there. “Have _you_ been there?”

“More times than necessary…” He didn’t want to flash back to those drunken nights where a hookup took him to a cheap motel for a quick fuck. How in Gaia’s name did Tifa and Aerith let him get away with that? How was he not dead by now?!

_Oh, it’s like that, I see…_ “By the way, how are your older sisters?”

Cloud did a double take. “How did you know?”

“That they are related to you?” he asked with a quirk of his brow.

“No, I was _just_ thinking about them.”

He shrugged and said, “I can read minds. Only a select few from my hometown inherited this gift.”

It almost sounded believable by the way he spoke so confidently. “Well, they are my best friends and they are doing fine. Second, where are you from?”

“Kalm.”

“That town outside here? Seriously?”

“There are other places besides Midgar, you know.”

“Most of the people I’ve met are usually from here, Junon, or Wutai.” Now that he thought about it, everyone in the fivesome were from backwater towns except Sephiroth.

“Kalm is great. You got some houses, trees, people— _highly_ recommend it.”

Oh that’s right, Tifa and Aerith vacationed there with his Ma and Ms. Gainsborough for a week. But when New Year’s Eve arrived, his Ma left for home because she didn’t want to interfere with ‘couple time,’ as she called it. “Sounds like Nibelheim, only bigger.”

“Is that the name of your hometown?”

Cloud opened the door to one of the stores. It was one of Gen’s favorite boutiques and _way_ out of his price range, but they could browse around for a bit. “Yeah.”

Kunsel followed him inside, looking around the posh decorations. “Huh, isn’t that west from here and deep in the mountains?”

“Y-Yes…?” He blinked and turned to him. “You’ve been there?”

“I like to read maps. It’s one of my hobbies.” Total bullshit, but every time he mentioned something about himself, Cloud seemed to struggle with believing him. Any normal person would have doubted him in a heartbeat.

Cloud slowly nodded with a frown. “Now I don’t have to say much about it.” Though, there’s really not much to say about an isolated town with five people.

Kunsel stood there and just stared at him. Either Cloud was gullible, or so passive that he didn’t care what was said during conversation. At this point, he could tell his new friend that Shiva was his mother and Cloud would probably believe him too. _No wonder they’re worried about your safety…_ Whatever happened to the hostile blond from the text messages?

At the Lakefront parking lot, Sephiroth sat in his car with a scowl on his face. Cigarette hanging out of his mouth, he read the frantic text messages from Zack.

Z: Can you *please* look after Cloud? He fucking misunderstood me when I tried to tag along!!!!!

S: What happened?

Z: He’s at Lakefront with some new friend.

Z: I wanted to join him since, you know, worried about the killer and all—and he blew up at me!

Z: Please check on him because I’m legit freaking out!

Sephiroth did not expect that withholding a sensitive topic would be an issue. If he knew Cloud’s reaction would be more like Genesis, then he would have made the personal assistant request a more urgent matter. The interview with the prospective assistant wasn’t until tomorrow, but Sephiroth trusted that his friend picked the right person for Cloud to where they could start as early as next week if he met all qualifications. He thought he had a little more time with Cloud’s career on hold, but he didn’t consider that the other three boyfriends wouldn’t be around _all the time_.

However, Sephiroth wasn’t sure if he was more surprised that Cloud made a new friend, or the fact that he got angry so quickly. It’s interesting that Cloud seemed to match Gen’s personality faster than Zack’s. Last year, Genesis’s dislike of Cloud quickly morphed into attraction once he pointed out their similarities. Sephiroth still wasn’t confident enough to consider it a valid call because Cloud seemed to mimic whomever he was around. And since he hung around Genesis more often than Zack nowadays, he picked up a few personality traits as well.

He will have to make sure that this assistant wasn’t someone… _abrasive_.

Finishing his cigarette, he stubbed it in the ash tray and texted Zack that he would handle everything. Sephiroth leaned back against the headrest and silently counted to five, debating on if he should light another cigarette before he stalked Cloud.

_Why does it feel like I’ve been in this situation before?_

Sephiroth lit another cigarette anyway when he realized that this was very much the same as last year. Maybe he got caught in a time loop where he relived events in a slightly different manner. After all, he sat in the Lakefront parking lot on the anniversary of his new Love Twice account. He’s been here many times before, but today’s date ‘hit different,’ as Zack and Cloud liked to say.

Taking another drag, his other thumb scrolled through his conversation with Zack, wondering if there was something he missed. Apparently, the awareness of the assassin had affected Zack’s ability to stay composed. This wasn’t like them to get into an argument over something so trivial. Zack must have said something else that made Cloud angry. However, Cloud has gotten comfortable expressing his feelings around his four boyfriends. But unlike Genesis, who said what he meant in one sentence, Cloud still struggled with conveying his thoughts carefully.

_I didn’t mean to cause a rift again, Zack_. He finished the rest of his cigarette minutes later and stubbed it with the other numerous discarded cigarettes.

Sephiroth casually strolled down the walkway, reminiscing when he saw the name of the restaurant where he first met Genesis. Who would have thought that these chains of events led him right back to where it all started almost a year later? _Hit different indeed._

Green eyes landed on spiky blond hair. Cloud spoke to someone taller than him, with dark brown hair and in an all-black outfit. Intriguing.

Sephiroth watched the two chat away, staring harder at the stranger. It wasn’t because of Zack’s fear that the assassin could be this new friend, but more about the fact that this person seemed to be preoccupied over something else. The stranger laughed and made a goofy gesture, which caused Cloud to look at him in bewilderment. Both seemed to be engrossed in the conversation, but the friend’s body language hinted something else entirely—almost as if he sensed another presence nearby.

He ducked in an alleyway when the stranger glanced in his direction. He’d be damned if he got caught this soon and caused more problems. Green eyes peered around the brick building and saw that the two began walking again.

Was it him, or was this stranger more perceptive than he looked? Please don’t let Zack be right…

At several clothing stores, Sephiroth took special care to remain hidden while ignoring the confused stares from nearby customers. At one point, he ducked behind the clothing rack whenever Cloud moved closer to him. Gods, he could just easily end this day with a simple ‘we’re going home,’ but knew that Cloud would hate him for the rest of the week if he even so much as showed himself. It wasn’t that he feared Cloud, but the fact that he didn’t want to be the next villain to Cloud’s day.

Kunsel already knew someone followed them, but it wasn’t just the famous Crescent. He pretended to examine a shirt, almost choking on the price tag until someone moved closer to Cloud. In a rush, he pushed past the stranger and pulled Cloud into an embrace. “Are you cold?” he asked the confused blond.

“Uh…” he fought a blush as Kunsel held him tightly against his chest. “No?” _What the fuck?!_

But his friend’s gaze remained on someone behind him. “You sure, because this man has been watching you as if he were trying to sell you something.”

Cloud glanced back, trying to figure out what he meant. Nearby was some average-looking, middle-aged man. His disheveled appearance contrasted with his suit that looked more in Seph’s price range than anything. “Huh? Who are you?”

The stranger clucked his tongue and glared back at Kunsel. “You’re with him?” he asked in a rough tone.

“Yeah man. I know he’s beautiful and all, but I am a child of Shiva—meaning that I must behave and keep my hands to myself or else I’ll be cursed.”

“Well, I’m willing to share if you’re up for it too.”

Cloud didn’t know what to think. A creep just asked for a threesome in the middle of the fucking store. It’s been a long ass time since that happened, but then he remembered that ever since he met his boyfriends, the weirdos never bothered to approach him. The only time that happened was when he pretended to be his mother. Someone was bold enough to piss off Sephiroth and—

The alluring man with silver hair stood right behind the stranger and slapped both hands on his shoulders. The man yelped and Sephiroth leaned next to him, whispering something while looking downright evil. “Do you understand?”

The man jumped out of his hold and quickly ran for the exit. “Fucking crazy!”

Sephiroth let out a tired sigh and looked at Cloud. “We’re going home.” He preferred to remain in the shadows for a little while longer but not after a false alarm.

Kunsel finally understood everything that was said about Cloud. Not only was he a target because of his ties to a Crescent, but also his ability to draw in people who could have easily been mistaken for the assassin. _Ah, now I get it…_ “You’re not gonna ask too, are you?” he asked with a smirk.

Sephiroth gave him a pointed look and noticed that this man still didn’t let go of Cloud. If he didn’t do something heroic just now, then Seph would have yanked Cloud away from him already. “Believe me, I don’t have to.” The nerve of this guy to think that he could—

“What is going on?!” Cloud exclaimed, breaking away from Kunsel and glanced back and forth between the two men. A _lot_ of questions ran through his mind. “Seph, why are you here?!”

“I was in the area and spotted you with someone I haven’t met yet.” He folded his arms across his chest and broke his gaze from the dark-haired stranger to focus on Cloud. “Do you want to have this conversation here, or outside?”

Kunsel shrugged his shoulders. “I prefer to stay inside since it’s so cozy.”

“I wasn’t asking you.”

Cloud vigorously shook his head. “Zack sent you here, didn’t he?”

“Again, do you want to have this conversation here, or outside?”

The blond huffed and sent Kunsel an apologetic look. “Sorry…”

_This is my cue to leave before Crescent whispers something scary in my ear too…_ “No problem,” he replied with a shrug. “I’ll text you later.” He then looked at Sephiroth and said, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Sephiroth frowned as he watched him leave. _Tomorrow…?_

When Sephiroth escorted Cloud out of the store, the two silently walked towards his car. The doctor didn’t bother to ask Cloud if he was alright when the answer was written all over his face.

Cloud caught a whiff of tobacco once he opened the car door. “Are you smoking again?” Since Junon, Cloud never pictured Sephiroth with a cigarette, let alone a _doctor_ who developed a smoking habit.

Sephiroth slammed his car door and pressed the button that turned on his engine. “No. My heater isn’t working correctly.”

“You just bought this car last month, Seph. And I’m _literally_ staring at the ashtray full of those gross things!”

“Perhaps you haven’t read about tobacco-powered cars.”

“You really wanna try me today, huh?” he muttered as he fastened his seatbelt.

“…Just don’t tell Zack.”

“I won’t if you stop drinking my milkshakes, stalk me while I’m out with a friend, intimidate said friend, and then reek of tobacco as if you came out of a bar!” What else could he be mad about outside of Zack not trusting him?! “It’d be hard for him to ignore the smell, you know.”

“You are free to buy more milkshakes. I followed you out of concern; and cigarettes were the result of stress.”

That last part made Cloud look at him. “What are you worried about now?”

“We’ll talk about that later. First, who was that man?”

“Dunno. I didn’t know I had people stalking me.”

“I meant your friend, Cloud.”

“His name is Kunsel. We met outside of Tifa’s bar a couple of days ago.”

That name sounded familiar. “He’s quite perceptive.”

“I guess. He’s pretty sarcastic, but I didn’t get any bad vibes from him.”

Sephiroth pulled the car out of the parking lot and drove down the street to take the highway. “I’m not the type to trust someone after one time, gallantry or not.”

He totally forgot to thank Kunsel. “Seph, did Zack ask you to babysit me?”

“Yes.”

“You don’t trust me either?” The only person who seemed nonchalant about the mention of a new friend was Angeal. “I find it so funny that Ange is the only one who isn’t worried when our one-year cheating anniversary is right around the corner.”

_I’m positive this would be a different conversation if Angeal was briefed on the details as well._ “I trust you with my life. Second, Angeal is a compromising man.” Which is a stark contrast to Genesis’s defiance.

Cloud looked at him in surprise. “Wait, you trust me that much?!”

“Should I not…?” he asked as he briefly glanced at him.

“I…” he blushed at the statement. Yeah, they were married and fucked more times than he ever thought possible, but something about Sephiroth’s declaration really… stirred this strange, yet familiar sensation in his stomach. Aerith told him that it was called, ‘butterflies in one’s stomach,’ and explained the meaning behind them. _This is not what I think it is. It’s just me becoming attached because someone was nice to me._ But if that were the case then why didn’t he gravitate to Kunsel?

He loved Zack and Genesis, and sensed that it wouldn’t be long before he felt love grow for Angeal. But with Sephiroth… Sephiroth was another level when it came to interpersonal relationships.

“Cloud?” Sephiroth called.

“Never mind. I’m… glad you can trust me, Seph,” he whispered, keeping his gaze out the window. His face felt hot which made him angrier. “A-Anyway, why did you keep tabs on me?”

“Because Zack was worried about you. It had nothing to do with your dating history.”

“Then what was the other reason?”

Sephiroth sighed. Once again, it was up to him to give the explanation. “With everything that happened last year, including Junon, do you think we can relax whenever you are alone?”

Cloud thought he could produce a counterargument, but— “Why didn’t Zack just say that instead of lying about needing to shop around sector seven?” In fact, sector seven’s price ranges weren’t any better than where they now lived.

He caught the exit leading to the warehouse and decided that this was the perfect opportunity to show Cloud his belated gift. Sephiroth accelerated down the highway, navigating around the trucks. “Off topic, but I need to show you something.”

The blond gripped his seatbelt for dear life as his husband drove like Genesis. _This is what Gen meant yesterday!_

Once he took the exit, Sephiroth said, “Now tell me what transpired between you and Zack.”

Cloud, who took several moments to speak, eventually told him about their argument and Angeal’s magical ability to calm him down. “So yeah, I have every right to be mad.”

“Hm…” He will hear Zack’s side later, but given that Zack said something so cruel told him that he allowed stress to win over rationality. “We are beyond these abusive statements, Cloud.”

“I know. I was just pissed, okay?”

“You can be angry and still not say such things. I know this waiting period is taxing on the mind, but do not project your frustrations to someone who loves you unconditionally.”

Cloud was convinced that once every full moon Sephiroth knew exactly what to say. During other moon phases, he forgot how to talk to people without sounding clinical. “I’m sorry.”

“Save it for Zack.” Sephiroth reminded himself again to talk to Angeal about following through with Genesis’s suggestion. He was so preoccupied with work that the thought slipped his mind, which was unlike him.

He didn’t reply and looked out the window again. “Where are we going?”

“To see your belated Yuletide present. I’m at this point where I will just show you regardless of your mood.”

Cloud nervously watched as they arrived in front of a warehouse surrounded by a fence with barbed wire. Sephiroth swiped a card on the reader and the gates automatically opened. The blond took a deep breath as his mind went over a list of possible gifts from a rich man.

“Relax, Cloud,” Sephiroth said with a mere glance.

“I’m down to either a golden chocobo that lays rainbow eggs, or a rare plant that only grows in this specific location.”

“First of all, it’s not a living organism. Second, we have a garden at home.” Angeal was elated when he saw the greenhouse with a breathtaking view.

“Well, I’m out of ideas.”

Sephiroth parked the car in front of a building and the two stepped out of it. The doctor typed a code next to the door and it slid open automatically, loud enough to wake the entire neighborhood if anyone lived nearby.

“This area is what sector seven used to be before it became gentrified,” he began. “In fact, this building was where Reeve first started his company.” He once joked that it should be labeled as a historic monument.

Cloud’s eyes widened as he followed his husband inside. “What? Really?!”

“I bought it from him last year because he had a hard time parting from it. I’m surprised he didn’t remodel it and make it a company branch.” Sephiroth glanced around the dark room and made a mental note to install better lighting outside the place. He felt around the wall for a switch and pressed it, hoping it was the right one.

Bright blue eyes winced as the overhead lights came on. He threw his arm over his face and exclaimed, “Warn me next time, okay?!”

“My apologies. But please have a look and see if this is to your liking.”

Cloud lowered his arm and gaped at the view.

Sephiroth converted this warehouse into a mechanic’s shop.

Rows of cars and motorbikes were lined against the walls of the building. In the middle stood a long metal table with every piece of equipment that he could possibly name. The blond ran towards the table in awe, tracing his fingers across the shiny state-of-the-art tools. Wrenches, power drills, extension cords—this was all a wet dream. “How in Gaia’s name…?”

“In Junon you told me that your hobby was vehicle parts. You also said that you wanted to build a motorbike from scratch someday.”

“I said that to you?!” he repeated as he spun around to look at everything.

“Well, I also peeked at your sketchbooks. You seem to be really interested in building your own transportation. Therefore, I thought it would be appropriate to provide everything you needed for that to happen.” Sephiroth scanned around, pleased with the movers’ care in placing everything in the right spots. “If there’s anything I’m missing, please let me know.”

Cloud didn’t know what to say. Mouth hanging open, he spotted the stacks of graph paper and dry-erase boards on the second floor. “Oh my gods…” Not only could he build his dream bike, but he could also use the extra space to build home models for his new job. “Seph… I…” He choked back tears as he spun around in a circle to admire his new home. “Seph…”

Sephiroth approached him with a frown. “Cloud? Did I say something wrong?”

“No, I’m…” he wiped his eyes and gave him a big smile. “I’m so happy. I’m honored that you did all of this for me…” He couldn’t find the right words because what does one say to a gift like this? “I’m just…” _I can’t believe it._

His breath hitched at the expression on Cloud’s face. Even though he dealt with emotional responses from Zack after a gift exchange, something about the way Cloud smiled stole his breath away. Cloud was genuinely happy, and _he_ was the cause of it. Not Zack, Angeal, or Genesis, but _him._ Nothing reversed all the awful things that occurred last year. But Cloud’s response to his gift told him that he could try to be the better boyfriend— _husband_ —without guilt.

_I’ll do anything to see that smile again._

* * *

When Cloud and Sephiroth returned home, Genesis noticed a glow on Cloud’s face. He already heard about the threesome plus DP, but this glow was different. It wasn’t the post-coital glow, but the ‘I-got-the-best-news-of-my-life’ glow. Before he could tease them, Cloud greeted him with a long kiss. When they parted, Genesis squinted at him in amusement.

“What’s this about?” he asked as he watched Cloud give Angeal an equally long kiss.

“I showed him his Yuletide gift,” Sephiroth explained.

Angeal pulled back with a gasp. “Wow, you must have gone all out with it.”

Cloud laughed and kissed his cheek. “I can build my bike now! I’ve been dreaming for years and I can finally—” He went quiet when he saw Zack walk into the living room.

Zack stared right at him in shock, as if he didn’t expect to see him so soon. “Er, hey, how’s it going?”

“Zack,” Angeal began, “don’t you have something to say to Cloud?”

He rolled his eyes. “I was gonna do it tomorrow.”

“No, this needs to happen _now_ ,” he said as he pushed him towards Cloud. “We will not insult each other in such a manner ever again. This rule applies to all of us, not just you two.”

Genesis wasn’t very fond of rules when it came to dating, but when Angeal told him about the argument and what was exactly said, even he was surprised about Cloud’s remarks. _Don’t make the same mistakes I’ve made, dear heart._

Zack and Cloud failed to meet each other’s gazes. It was already awkward having an audience, but if they wanted to make this work, they all had to be open with each other no matter who was in the room.

Zack scratched the back of his head and muttered, “Uh, listen, I’m really sorry I said all of that. I just got mad when you made those accusations before I had the chance to say anything.”

Cloud rubbed his arm and glanced at the floor, feeling a blush form when he felt extra pairs of eyes watching him. “I’m so sorry, Zack. I didn’t mean to say that either.” He finally looked at him, startled by the expression across his face. “Just tell me straight up if it bothers you, okay? I only hung out with a friend, nothing more.”

Cloudy looked so cute with that adorable pout. It was hard to stay mad at him. Zack groaned and drew Cloud into a hug. _I didn’t mean to make you angry, Cloudy._

Cloud wrapped his arms tight around Zack’s waist and pressed his cheek against his chest. Feeling the warmth around him, followed by the sounds of a fast heartbeat made him giddy inside. _This man loves me…_

Genesis watched the two with a small smile. The scene before him reminded him of his many arguments with Angeal, followed by gratuitous amounts of make-up sex and apologies. Angeal met his gaze with a small smile too, meaning that he thought the same thing as he watched the two youngest members in the room.

However, when he looked at Sephiroth, he didn’t expect to see the conflicted expression across his face.

For the first time in his entire life, Sephiroth felt an emotion that he couldn’t describe. Zack and Cloud have been like this since the day they met, but why did this moment feel different? Why was he more annoyed about Cloud’s short-lived excitement the second he hugged Zack? He wanted more than just a long kiss and expressions of gratitude.

He wanted Cloud to look at him the same way he looked at Zack.

_Maybe I’ll try harder next time._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The pacing should pick up after the next chapter. I wanted these chain of events to happen in order to set the tone of this sequel. I'm probably gonna tweak the summary at some point.   
> Really hoped you liked Kunsel. I changed his eye color because SE is allergic to brown eyes and I'm gonna make him have them until they reveal his face (if they do it in the remake).


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